Life in the Business School

Academic life

In addition to coursework, the Business School offers a number of educational outlets. These include:

  • The fielding of student teams in business simulations organised by such companies as L’Oreal and IBM.
  • An Executive-in-Residence programme is planned, where senior managers will live on campus and be available as a resource to the academic community.
  • Finally – to underline Buckingham’s intimate and friendly spirit – the Vice-Chancellor hosts a weekly meeting to discuss articles from the most recent Economist.

Guest Speaker Series

The Business School invites guest speakers from a wide spectrum of business interests, from the enterprising start-up to the large multinational. Recent speakers have included Caroline Plumb, founder of FreshMinds, and Larry Hirst, CEO of IBM (UK). Views are also sought from a variety of cultures. For instance, a Chinese perspective was provided in the past few months by Mr Alfred Lee and Mr Peter Philipp of Fong’s Industries. It is hoped to have such luminaries as Bob Taverner, CEO of Twinings, and Lord Browne, Chairman of BP, as early future visitors.

Research seminars

As well as visits from practitioners, the Business School has commenced a vibrant programme of academic seminars where faculty from both inside and outside the institution present their latest research findings. Students are warmly encouraged to attend these presentations.

Projects / internships

More and more courses at the Business School are introducing real-world projects as an integral part of their programme. This generally involves undertaking a team-based assignment with local and regional companies, allowing students the opportunity to apply their in-class learning. As an example, Management in a Service Economy students conduct a live research project with UK companies. Projects conducted recently include:

  • Understanding customer expectations and perceptions for CIMA students at BPP, Bristol
  • Evaluating an University’s website with regards to what prospective students really look for in a website when they are intending to apply
  • Evaluating the call centre experience for Thames Water’s customers
  • Customer perceptions of a local gastro pub

In addition, the Business School is increasingly looking to provide students with the chance to experience a short commercial internship / placement either during or after the degree programme.

Social life

A wide range of social activities are organised throughout the year on campus, including Rag Week and the Swan Ball. Details of these can be found on our forthcoming events page.