Integrating Research, Enterprise, and Consultancy Pathways: A Holistic Approach to Authentic Learning and Assessment
by Victoria Eskdale, Songyi Yan and Carly Wraeg
Victoria Eskdale, Songyi Yan and Carly Wraeg
Victoria Eskdale, Songyi Yan and Carly Wraeg explain how they’ve designed interconnected project pathways that allow students to see the bigger picture and develop transferable skills across research, enterprise, and consultancy.
Rather than treating these domains as separate disciplines, the team has created an integrated curriculum where students benefit from shared lectures, toolkits, and case studies regardless of their pathway focus. Research students develop critical inquiry and evidence-based reasoning, enterprise students cultivate entrepreneurial thinking and business strategy, while consultancy students tackle real-world client challenges – but all three pathways reinforce one another through strategic overlaps.
Examples of integration include shared sessions on ethics (required for primary data collection across all pathways) and the “Legal for Fashion” experience delivered by Barbara Shepherd, which bridges legal knowledge across consultancy contracts, startup IP considerations, and research frameworks. The team has adopted centralised supervision and communication through a shared hub, ensuring consistency in support, feedback, and resources while reducing duplication.
Assessment is designed to mirror professional practice – client pitches, business plans, and publication-style reports – with students encouraged to engage with real stakeholders. While coordination across teams requires effort and balancing consistency with individual creativity presents challenges, the approach creates a more efficient delivery model and offers students a richer, more holistic learning journey that reflects how these domains intersect in professional contexts.
