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The “Employability for All” Paradox: How Universities Can Finally Break the Barriers of Time, Geography, and Scale

December 5, 2025 UncategorizedLeave a comment

The “Employability for All” Paradox: How Universities Can Finally Break the Barriers of Time, Geography, and Scale

“Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.”

It is a phrase we hear often in Higher Education. We know that a student’s potential is not defined by their postcode, their parents’ network, or their ability to work unpaid hours. Yet, the traditional model of Work-Integrated Learning (WIL)—the rigid 9-to-5 placement, the city-centric internship—continues to inadvertently exclude the very students who need it most. As we move towards 2026, the mandate for university leaders is clear: We must move from talking about “Widening Participation” to building infrastructure that guarantees Employability for All. But how do you scale personalised, authentic industry experience to thousands of students without breaking your budget or your team? This definitive guide breaks down the systemic barriers to equitable employability, the data behind the crisis, and a scalable, technology-driven framework to overcome them.

The Cost of Exclusion: What the Data Says (The “Why”)

International education is no longer a linear journey. Political shifts, digital transformation, and changing student expectations have created a world where adaptation isn’t optional — it’s the measure of relevance. Educators everywhere are asking the same thing: How do we prepare students for careers that don’t yet exist, using technologies we’re still learning to master? The answer lies in three forces that now define modern learning: Artificial Intelligence, Experiential Learning, and Collaboration. Together, they don’t just respond to change, they help us navigate it. The Bottom Line: If your employability strategy relies solely on students “finding their own placement,” you are effectively designing a system that privileges the already privileged.

The 4 “Hidden” Barriers to Inclusive Industry Experience

To solve the employability crisis, we first need to dissect why traditional internships fail under-represented groups. Based on data from our work with over 100 institutions globally, these are the four distinct barriers blocking student success.

  1.  The Geography Gap

    • The Problem: Traditional placements are clustered in CBDs (Central Business Districts). The Reality: For regional, rural, and remote students, taking a placement often means paying for travel or moving cities—a financial impossibility for many.
      • The Equity Implication: Geographic immobility is widely cited as a primary structural barrier to social mobility, creating a measurable “postcode penalty” for regional graduates.
      • The Solution: Virtual Industry Projects. By moving the experience online, a student in rural New South Wales can consult for a fintech startup in London, removing geography from the equation entirely.

  2.  The “Time Poverty” Trap

    • The Problem: The “standard” internship is a full-time, 9-to-5 commitment for weeks at a time. The Reality: Many “Widening Participation” (WP) students balance full-time study with part-time jobs and caring responsibilities. They simply cannot afford to stop working to take on an unpaid placement.
      • The Solution: Asynchronous Project Work. Structured, team-based projects that allow students to contribute at 8 PM or 6 AM offer the flexibility required for true inclusion.

  3. The Network Gap

    • The Problem: Success often depends on “who you know.” The Reality: First-generation students often lack the “inherited networks” that their more privileged peers use to secure placements.
      • The Solution: Democratized Client Access. Universities must stop relying on students to “find their own placement.” Instead, institutions must provide a guaranteed “scaffolded” introduction to employers through managed programs like Horizons Australia.

  4. The Scalability Ceiling

    • The Problem: High-quality WIL is traditionally high-touch. It requires extensive staff time to source, vet, and manage employers. The Reality: Careers teams are stretched thin. Delivering high-touch experiences to 50 students is manageable; delivering them to 5,000 is impossible without technology.
      • The Solution: Experiential Learning Technology. Platforms like Practera automate the “heavy lifting”—feedback loops, content delivery, and progress tracking—allowing educators to focus on mentorship rather than administration.

Case Study: Scaling National Impact with Study Australia (SAIEP)

To prove that technology does not dilute the quality of the experience, we can look at the Study Australia Industry Experience Program (SAIEP). This initiative demonstrates how virtual projects can deliver high-impact WIL at a national scale. The Pivot: Connecting multi-disciplinary student teams from 53 different providers (including Australian universities and offshore campuses) with real global employers for intensive 2-week virtual projects.
The Results (Verified Impact Data):
  • Massive Scale: Supported 10,000+ students and engaged 1,500 industry clients across 9 states, territories, and jurisdictions.
  • Employability Outcomes: 87% of students reported improved global employability skills following the program.
  • Satisfaction: Achieved a 94% student willingness to recommend score, alongside an 86% client recommendation rate.
  • Industry Value: 81% of clients reported a direct enhancement to their business capability or decision-making.
Data Source: [Study Australia Industry Experience Program (SAIEP) 2025 Case Study Impact Report]This case study validates that scalable, technology-enabled models can deliver employability outcomes comparable to—or exceeding—traditional high-touch placements.

The 3-Step Framework to Implement “Employability for All”

How can your institution begin this transition? We recommend a three-phase approach.

Phase 1: The Audit (Identify the friction)

Review your current WIL offerings. Ask: Who is missing? If your participation data skews towards metro-based, high-SES students, your entry barriers (time/location) are likely too high.

Phase 2: The Pilot (Test the model)

Do not try to replace placements overnight. Introduce a 2-week virtual sprint as an optional module or extra-curricular program. Target a specific cohort (e.g., First Year WP students) to test engagement and outcomes.

Phase 3: The Scaffold (Build the pathway)

Once validated, integrate these virtual projects into the curriculum as a “scaffold.” Use them as a low-stakes entry point that builds the confidence (self-efficacy) students need to apply for high-stakes physical internships later in their degree.

The Technology Enabler: Practera’s Horizons Program

Implementing this framework manually is difficult. That is why we built Horizons.
Practera’s Horizons Program (launching in Australia following UK success) creates a controlled, scalable environment where diverse student teams solve real business problems for real clients.

How it works for the institution:

  1. Zero-Friction Sourcing: We source the industry partners (SMEs, Non-profits, Startups).
  2. Structured Delivery: Students work on a 2-week agile project on the Practera platform.
  3. Automated Feedback: Our AI-enabled platform provides real-time feedback on professional skills (collaboration, critical thinking) so students improve during the project, not just after.
  4. Verified Outcomes: Students graduate with a tangible portfolio piece and a verified digital credential, boosting their LinkedIn visibility immediately.
“We aren’t just teaching students about work; we are giving them the agency to build their own professional identity in a safe, supported space.” — Kate Daubney PFHEA FRSA

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How does virtual WIL compare to traditional internships for employability?A: Research shows that virtual WIL develops specific “future of work” skills—remote collaboration, digital communication, and agile project management—that traditional internships often miss. It offers comparable employability gains with significantly higher accessibility. Q: Can this model work for First-Year students? A: Yes. In fact, “Employability for All” strategies suggest intervening early. Short, low-stakes industry projects in the first year build the “self-efficacy” students need to apply for high-stakes placements later in their degree. Q: How do we fund Widening Participation initiatives like this? A: Many institutions utilise HEPPP (Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program) funding or similar equity grants, as these programs directly address retention and success metrics for underrepresented cohorts.

Ready to break down the barriers at your institution?

“Employability for All” isn’t just a slogan. It’s a deliverable strategy. We are currently partnering with forward-thinking Australian universities to roll out the Horizons initiative. If you want to see how this model fits your 2025 strategy:

How Can International Education Navigate Change Through AI, Experiential Learning, and Collaboration?

October 13, 2025 Experiential Learning, Project Based LearningLeave a comment

Introduction: Change Has Become the Classroom

Across every university, campus and screen, one idea has settled in — change isn’t something we prepare students for anymore; it’s the environment they learn in.

This year’s AIEC 2025 theme, Navigating Change, calls educators, employers, and policymakers to turn uncertainty into an advantage. It asks how our sector can build resilience, embrace disruption, and design inclusive, equitable and sustainable pathways for the future.

At Practera, this question sits at the core of everything we do. From the award-winning Study Australia Industry Experience Program (SAIEP) to university-led initiatives like EdgeX, our programs are built to help students learn by doing, educators teach through data, and partners collaborate across borders.

Why “Navigating Change” Matters Now

International education is no longer a linear journey.

Political shifts, digital transformation, and changing student expectations have created a world where adaptation isn’t optional — it’s the measure of relevance.

Educators everywhere are asking the same thing: How do we prepare students for careers that don’t yet exist, using technologies we’re still learning to master?

The answer lies in three forces that now define modern learning: Artificial Intelligence, Experiential Learning, and Collaboration.

Together, they don’t just respond to change, they help us navigate it.

AI: From Disruption to Direction

AI as Ally, Not Adversary

AI has shifted from being a curiosity to a cornerstone. Used well, it amplifies human judgement, giving educators new tools to personalise learning, track progress, and scale mentoring.

Within Practera’s platform, AI acts as a quiet partner — analysing reflections, surfacing growth patterns, and recommending feedback aligned with employability frameworks.It saves time without losing the human voice.

Ethical AI and Equity

Navigating AI responsibly means focusing on transparency, fairness, and inclusion.Practera’s design philosophy follows three principles:
  1. Explainability – every AI insight can be understood by educators and learners.
  2. Equity – algorithms are trained on diverse data sets to avoid bias.
  3. Empathy – technology should strengthen mentorship, not replace it.
By embedding these principles, institutions gain what the AIEC 2025 theme calls “resilience through shared understanding.”

Experiential Learning: The Bridge Between Knowing and Doing

Learning by Doing — Wherever You Are

Experiential learning connects classroom theory to real-world practice.

Through programs like SAIEP, international students collaborate with Australian businesses to solve live challenges — from digital marketing to sustainability audits — all facilitated online through Practera’s platform.

This model turns geographical boundaries into learning opportunities. It builds capability, confidence, and connection — the three currencies of employability in a changing world.

Why It Works for Educators

Educators gain data-driven visibility into student development:
  • Live dashboards mapping growth in teamwork, problem-solving and communication.
  • Reflection analytics identifying where learning is deepening or stalling.
  • Outcome evidence for accreditation and employer reporting.
Experiential learning doesn’t replace academic study — it completes it.

Collaboration: The Compass That Guides Change

Partnership as Practice

In an era of uncertainty, collaboration has become the new stability. No single institution can meet every learner’s need or predict every shift in technology. The most agile universities are those that co-create solutions with partners.Practera’s programs sit exactly at that intersection:
  • Universities embed authentic projects within courses.
  • Employers gain insights and access to emerging talent.
  • Students gain experience, mentorship, and confidence.
It’s a loop of mutual learning — and it keeps evolving.

EdgeX: Scaling Collaboration at Home

At the University of Sydney, EdgeX has become a model for how domestic and international students collaborate virtually on projects with real clients. The result is a scalable framework that fosters inclusion, cross-cultural communication, and professional growth — proof that collaboration can thrive even without physical borders.

Inclusion, Equity and Sustainability: The Three Anchors

AIEC 2025 calls on our community to build an international education system that’s inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and empowered to navigate change.Practera’s ecosystem directly contributes to each pillar:
  • Inclusive: Virtual access opens global experience to students regardless of location or circumstance.
  • Equitable: Every learner participates in authentic projects, not just those who can travel.
  • Sustainable: Digital delivery reduces environmental footprint while expanding global reach.
The goal isn’t simply to adapt — it’s to make adaptation fair.

The A.I.D. Framework: A Roadmap for AI and Experiential Learning

To help institutions integrate AI ethically and effectively, Practera applies the A.I.D. Framework — three stages that mirror the sector’s transformation.

This framework gives educators a way to pilot AI safely while preserving human agency — turning curiosity into capability.

Case Study: The Study Australia Industry Experience Program (SAIEP)

When Practera partnered with Study Australia and the Australian Government to launch SAIEP, the vision was simple: to give international students real Australian workplace experience — wherever they were in the world.Impact Highlights
SAIEP’s success led to its recognition at AIEC 2022 for national innovation — proof that change, when guided by collaboration, can lead to impact measured in human growth, not just metrics.

Practical Steps for Educators and Institutions

For those asking “Where do we start?”, here’s a roadmap drawn from Practera’s partner experience.
  1. Start Small — Think Scalable
  2.  Pilot one authentic project before embedding a full WIL program.
  3. Design for Reflection
  4.  Build structured reflection prompts into every experience; it’s where learning consolidates.
  5. Let AI Inform, Not Instruct
  6.  Use data to guide mentoring and course improvement, not replace educator intuition.
  7. Co-Create with Industry Early
  8.  Joint design yields more relevant and sustainable experiences.
  9. Measure What Matters
  10.  Focus on skill growth, student confidence, and partner engagement over attendance or hours logged.

The Road Ahead: From Adaptation to Anticipation

The next phase of international education won’t be defined by who adapts fastest, but by who anticipates best.

AI will continue to reshape how we design, deliver, and evaluate learning.

Students will expect integrated, personalised experiences that connect study to real outcomes.

Institutions that weave AI + Experiential Learning + Collaboration into their DNA will lead this transformation — not by resisting change, but by learning through it.As the AIEC 2025 community gathers in Canberra, that’s the shared mission: to build a future where global education is resilient, inclusive, and human-centred.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the AIEC 2025 theme? The Australian International Education Conference 2025 focuses on navigating change — exploring how educators and organisations can build resilience, inclusion, and sustainable innovation in times of uncertainty.

2. How is AI transforming international education? AI supports educators by analysing reflection data, matching students to projects, and providing actionable insights — improving scale and personalisation without removing the human element.

3. What makes experiential learning effective for international students?
It connects theory with practice, allowing learners to apply knowledge in authentic settings, collaborate globally, and develop employability skills valued by employers worldwide.

4. What is Practera’s role in this transformation?
Practera partners with universities, governments, and employers to deliver scalable, technology-enabled experiential learning programs such as SAIEP and EdgeX, aligning education with real-world outcomes.

5. How can institutions get started? Begin with small, structured pilot projects, integrate reflective practice, and use AI-assisted insights to refine delivery. Practera provides frameworks, platforms, and support to help institutions build these capabilities.

Conclusion: Navigating Change Together

Change is no longer a disruption to international education — it’s the ecosystem it grows in.What matters now is how we move through it: together, intentionally, and with curiosity.

Practera’s mission remains simple — to empower educators, students, and partners to navigate change with confidence through AI-enabled, experiential, and collaborative learning.Whether you’re joining us at AIEC 2025 in Canberra or exploring these ideas from afar, we invite you to connect, collaborate, and help co-create the next chapter of international education.Learn more at practera.com.

How Can Private Higher Education Providers Deliver Affordable, Scalable Work-Integrated Learning?

October 9, 2025 Experiential Learning, Practera Learning, Project Based LearningLeave a comment

Introduction: The Affordability and Employability Challenge

If you run a private higher education program, you feel the same heat universities do: employers expect job‑ready graduates, students want the “real world” built into their course, and budgets aren’t getting friendlier. The big question is simple: how do you deliver authentic, industry‑connected learning that employers respect without blowing the budget or your team’s bandwidth?

This article walks through practical ways private colleges can design and deliver affordable, scalable WIL programs. We’ll look at what national and global programs like SAIEP and WACE achieved, and how institutions use Practera to give students real industry experience for under $200 per learner, lifting employability and student satisfaction along the way.

 

Step 1: Redefine What “Work-Integrated Learning” Means

For years, WIL meant long placements, on‑site internships, and coordination marathons. Valuable, yes but heavy. In today’s hybrid world, authentic industry experience doesn’t have to mean a physical placement or a mountain of emails.

What modern WIL looks like:

  • Short virtual industry projects (2–6 weeks). Real brief, real client, tight scope.
  • Micro‑consulting challenges designed with actual employers.
  • Mentored capstone assignments tied directly to your subject outcomes.
  • These aren’t simulations. Students deliver work to real clients through digital collaboration, practicing the communication, teamwork, and problem‑solving employers keep asking for.

How Practera supports this model:

  • Connects colleges with pre‑vetted employers via a global network.
  • Provides templated project briefs mapped to employability skills.
  • Hosts delivery, mentoring, and AI‑enabled reflection in one place.
  • The shift matters for smaller providers. You can offer high‑impact WIL without the old financial and administrative burden — and you can do it with the team you have now.

A quick story: A marketing cohort at a private college partnered with a regional tourism operator. Over four weeks, students tested three messages for winter visitors. One went live on the client’s socials. The student who led the copy test added the link to her portfolio and referenced it in interviews. That’s real‑world learning, minus the scramble for placements.

Step 2: Do More with Less — The New Economics of WIL

Private providers are resourceful by nature. You stretch budgets and time already. The traditional model of faculty‑led placement management just doesn’t scale.

Side‑by‑side, here’s the picture:

The digital model lowers costs by standardising what used to be bespoke: project templates, clear milestones, centralised communication, and AI‑supported reflection. Less chasing, more learning. And because the unit cost drops, you can extend WIL to whole cohorts — not just a lucky handful.

Step 3: Use a Proven, Affordable WIL Model

Case Study: SAIEP (Study Australia Industry Experience Program)

Austrade launched SAIEP with Practera to make authentic WIL accessible and affordable to thousands of international students nationwide. The brief was ambitious; the delivery stayed simple.

Scale and impact:

  • 6,700+ students from 86 institutions across Australia
  • 953 industry partners engaged globally
  • Real consulting projects delivered fully online
  • 87% of students improved employability skills
  • 85% of final reports rated high or outstanding by clients

What this showed: smaller providers can deliver world‑class employability programs by plugging into a digital WIL ecosystem. You don’t need massive funding or a large employer team — you need a clear structure and a platform built for it.

Case Study: WACE Global Challenge

Practera also partnered with the World Association of Cooperative Education (WACE) to deliver the WACE Global Challenge, an online international industry project connecting students from 40 universities with global employers.

Results:

  • 676 students from 40 institutions worldwide
  • 85% completion rate and 83% reported employability skill growth
  • Delivered fully online at a fraction of traditional mobility costs

One Program Director summed it up: students collaborated across countries, solved real problems, and gained international employability, without leaving home.

Together, these programs prove the point: Practera’s model delivers authentic, employer‑verified outcomes affordably at national and institutional scales.

Step 4: Embed Practera into Your Program Without Overheads

A common worry: “New platform = more work.” In practice, Practera simplifies the workflow and frees up faculty time.

What’s included end to end:

  • Employer sourcing: access to verified employers and industry briefs.
  • AI‑enabled reflection and assessment: reduces marking and admin by up to 60%.
  • Built‑in feedback loops: employers and students interact in one place.
  • Analytics dashboards: track employability skills, engagement, and satisfaction in real time.
  • You can start small, as few as 20 learners and scale once the model is proven. The work shifts from logistics to coaching, which is where educators add the most value.

What this feels like week to week:

  • Clear milestones and deliverables replace back‑and‑forth emails.
  • Automated nudges keep teams moving.
  • Consistent rubrics cut debate and speed up decisions.
  • A single workspace keeps everyone aligned, including clients.

Step 5: Prove ROI — From Employability to Enrolments

Graduate outcomes drive reputation and recruitment. Affordable WIL is one of the most direct levers you have.

Across Practera programs, providers report:

  1. 80–90% of students feel stronger career confidence.
  2. Employers rate student projects as directly valuable to their organisation.
  3. Students leave with portfolio‑ready work they can show in interviews.
  4. Colleges build a reputation for practical, industry‑connected education.

One Academic Program Leader put it plainly: “Students come back to us saying their Practera project was the highlight of their course. It’s tangible, it’s real, and it gets them noticed.”

That combination: quantifiable skills growth plus credible artifacts, helps private colleges compete with larger institutions while keeping programs affordable.

Step 6: Blueprint to Launch an Affordable WIL Program

Here’s a straightforward way to get moving without overcomplicating it.

A quick tip from teams who’ve done this: scope the work tightly. Two to three meaningful deliverables beat a sprawling wishlist.

Step 7: Frequently Asked Questions (Educators & Academic Directors)

Q1: What’s the minimum number of students to start?

A: Pilots can launch with as few as 20 students, and can scale to 200+ once you’re confident in the model.

Q2: How quickly can a program be launched?

A: Typically 4–6 weeks from sign‑off to delivery, including employer matching and onboarding.

Q3: Do I need existing employer connections?

A: No. Practera provides access to a global network of employers and verified project briefs. You can also bring your own partners if you have them.

Q4: How much academic oversight is needed?

A: Faculty input is intentionally light. Practera’s structured milestones, automated reflection, and AI‑feedback reduce marking and admin by up to 60%. Your time goes to coaching.

Q5: Can this be integrated into accredited courses?

A: Yes. Projects align well with assessment tasks, capstones, or employability modules and can be mapped to your course learning outcomes.

Q6: What industries are available for projects?

A: Business, marketing, finance, sustainability, health, and technology are common. Briefs range from market research to process improvement and product positioning.

Q7: How do we track employability outcomes?

A: Through Practera’s dashboards, aligned to 21st‑century skills. You’ll see engagement, milestone completion, feedback patterns, and skills development.

Q8: What support is available for educators?

A: Onboarding, project templates, delivery guides, and educator training. Most teams feel comfortable after one run.

Q9: Can projects run fully online?

A: Yes. Practera supports virtual and hybrid delivery. Many providers prefer fully online for flexibility and lower cost.

Q10: Do employers pay or participate voluntarily?

A: Employers participate voluntarily to access fresh ideas and talent pipelines. They also value the structured, time‑bounded scope.

Q11: Can we co‑brand the program?

A: Yes. Practera supports white‑labelled delivery so the program matches your institutional brand.

Q12: How do we report outcomes to TEQSA or similar bodies?

A: Use analytics exports showing skills, engagement, and satisfaction, plus examples of student work and short quotes.

Q13: What if a client goes quiet mid‑project?

A: Program managers can step in, and backup briefs are available. Structured check‑ins and reminders keep momentum.

Q14: How do we maintain quality at scale?

A: Standard rubrics, short mentor training, and light moderation. Review a sample of outputs each cycle to keep standards consistent.

Q15: What is the typical student workload?

A: For a 4–6 week project, plan 6–8 hours per week, including client time, team collaboration, deliverables, and reflection.

Q16: How do we ensure inclusion and access?

A: Online delivery reduces location barriers. Flexible meeting windows help students balancing work or caring responsibilities.

Q17: Can this support internationalisation at home?

A: Yes. Cross‑institution and cross‑country teams create global collaboration experiences without mobility costs.

Q18: How do we prepare students for client interaction?

A: A short etiquette guide, a meeting template, and a sample outreach script go a long way. A 30‑minute orientation helps set expectations.

Q19: What evidence do students take away?

A: A tangible deliverable (report, deck, prototype), client feedback, and a brief reflection they can reference in interviews.

Q20: What does success look like after one term?

A: Strong participation and completion, positive client ratings, visible skill growth, and a few student stories you can share with leadership and prospects.

Step 8: Educator’s Quick Action Checklist

Identify one suitable course or cohort for a pilot (20–30 students).

Define your academic and employability outcomes and map them to briefs.

Contact Practera to access templated project briefs and employer partners.

Launch your first affordable WIL pilot (under $200 per learner) for 4–6 weeks.

Use dashboards to measure engagement, skills, and satisfaction.

Collect quotes and examples of student work.

Share results internally and plan the next run.

Scale to additional programs once the model is validated.

Step 9: Conclusion — Affordable Impact Starts Here

You don’t have to choose between affordability and authenticity. With Practera, private providers can deliver meaningful, industry‑connected experiences at scale — without straining faculty capacity or budgets.

From the SAIEP national program to the WACE Global Challenge, the results are consistent: high skill growth, strong employer ratings, and credible student deliverables — delivered online at a fraction of traditional costs.

If you’re aiming to meet TEQSA benchmarks, lift graduate outcomes, or simply find a practical win you can launch this term, this model gives you a clear path forward. Start with one cohort. Learn. Then scale.

Practera helps private colleges do more with less and gives students the edge employers are looking for.

 

How to Design Authentic Industry Projects for Business School Students

September 9, 2025 Project Based LearningLeave a comment

Introduction: Closing the Theory, Practice Gap in Business Education

Business schools are powerhouses of knowledge, equipping students with strategy models, financial tools, and leadership frameworks. Yet, time and again, employers raise the same concern:

“Graduates are smart, but they’re not ready to tackle real-world business problems on day one.”

This theory–practice gap is one of the most pressing challenges in business education today. Students want authentic learning experiences that boost employability. Employers want graduates who can solve business challenges with confidence. Accreditation bodies (like AACSB and AMBA) want proof of innovation and impact.

The question isn’t whether business schools should embed real industry experience — it’s how to design projects that are authentic, scalable, affordable, and academically rigorous.

In this blog, we’ll share a five-step framework for designing authentic industry projects for business schools, illustrated with case studies from the UK and Australia. We’ll also show how Practera’s experiential learning platform and global employer network help overcome the most common barriers educators face.

Step 1: Define Clear Outcomes

The first step is clarity. Authentic projects can’t just be “work experience” — they must connect directly to academic and employability outcomes.

Types of outcomes to define:

  1. Academic: Does the project help students apply core theories (e.g., Porter’s Five Forces, financial modelling, consumer insights)?
  2. Employability: Which transferable skills should students demonstrate? (teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, client communication).
  3. Institutional/Accreditation: Does the project provide evidence of engagement, innovation, and measurable impact for rankings and audits?

Practera helps here by offering project templates mapped to the World Economic Forum’s 21st Century Skills Framework. This means business schools can align projects to both curriculum learning outcomes and employability skills without starting from scratch.

Step 2: Find the Right Industry Partners

This is the biggest barrier for most faculty: “Where do I find quality industry partners, and how do I brief them properly?”

Traditionally, schools rely on personal networks or alumni. But this limits scale and often results in inconsistent project quality.

Practera solves this challenge with its global employer network and quality-assured project briefs. Educators can select from ready-to-go challenges or invite employers into the platform with minimal overhead.

Case Study: King’s Business School (KBS), UK

KBS had a large international student body with strong academic results but low work experience. The school wanted to build confidence and employability quickly, without overburdening staff. With Practera, KBS launched the Global Industry Projects, connecting 300 students with 50 employers in two weeks. Practera sourced all clients and briefs, ensuring relevance and diversity.

Results:

  1. 87% learner program rating
  2. 89% client rating
  3. 94% completion
  4. 25% boost in career readiness in just two weeks

“Our students welcomed the opportunity to work in diverse groups, tackling real-world briefs while receiving personalised feedback. Practera’s proactive management and data insights helped us measure the impact clearly.” – Markus Stretz, Work-Related Learning Manager, King’s Business School

Lesson: Industry partnerships are scalable when you have the right infrastructure.

Step 3: Structure Projects for Success

Authenticity doesn’t mean chaos. Business schools must strike a balance between real-world complexity and academic scaffolding.

Best practice structure:

  • Orientation & Briefing: Employer introduces challenge; students set expectations.
  • Team Formation: Diverse student teams of 4–6.
  • Milestones: Weekly deliverables (draft report, mid-point review, final report).
  • Feedback Loops: Iterative employer + AI feedback.
  • Final Presentation: Students present to employers in professional settings.

Case Study: London School of Economics (LSE), UK

During the pandemic, LSE Careers needed to offer meaningful work experience despite travel restrictions.

Using Practera, they launched the Virtual Summer Consultancy Projects — a 3-week programme where student teams acted as consultants for employers across sustainability, technology, and creative industries.

Results:

  1. 6 employers, 6 teams, 6 mentors.
  2. 100% of final reports graded Outstanding/High Quality.
  3. 96% client satisfaction.
  4. 89% student satisfaction

“These 3-week projects gave students a huge step forward in their careers. Practera’s global employer network and high professional standards allowed us to deliver engaging, work-based learning at scale.” – Lizzie Darlington, Director, LSE Careers

Lesson: With the right structure, even short projects can deliver outstanding outcomes.

Step 4: Scaffold Learning with Feedback & Reflection

Students don’t automatically learn from experience — they need guided reflection to connect tasks to theory.

Practera enables this by:

  1. Providing AI-enabled reflective prompts (e.g., “How did your team communication impact your analysis?”).
  2. Facilitating mentor check-ins.
  3. Tracking skill growth analytics for reporting.

Case Study: Western Sydney University (WSU), Australia

WSU partnered with Practera on the Western Sydney Industry Connect (WSIC) program: one week of training + five weeks of industry projects.

Key outcomes:

  1. 135 students across business, engineering, and IT.
  2. 14 industry clients (startups, SMEs, corporates)
  3. $2M+ in project value delivered.
  4. 93% completion rate, 92% willingness to recommend
  5. 91% of clients said student reports influenced business decisions

“The interns’ final report exceeded expectations. Their insights have already influenced our strategies and decision-making processes.” – Marketing Manager, Dynamic Aspect Partners

Lesson: Scaffolding reflection + employer feedback is what turns projects into measurable skill development experiences.

Step 5: Align Assessment with Academic Standards

Projects only stick when they’re embedded in the curriculum. That means aligning assessment with both academic and industry outcomes.

Best practices:

  1. Final reports/presentations graded by faculty.
  2. Employer evaluations contribute to marks.
  3. Reflective journals measure employability growth.

Practera supports this with analytics dashboards that map student performance to employability frameworks and accreditation requirements.

Beyond Business Schools: Proof at Scale

Authentic projects are not just a business school innovation — they’re proven across disciplines and borders.

  1. SAIEP (Study Australia Industry Experience Program, Australia): A national program that connected over 6,700 students with 953 industry partners. It demonstrated that large-scale, authentic projects can be delivered affordably, with 87% of students reporting improved employability skills and 85% of final reports rated high or outstanding.
  2. WACE Global Challenge (Worldwide): A global online mobility alternative run with the World Association of Cooperative Education. It involved 676 students from 40 institutions, achieved an 85% completion rate, and 83% of students reported improved employability skills. It showed that global experiences can be delivered virtually at a fraction of the cost of traditional mobility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How do I run projects if my school doesn’t have strong employer links?

A: Practera sources clients from its global employer network and provides templated briefs.

Q2: Can projects be credit-bearing?

A: Yes — projects can be embedded as coursework, capstones, or electives.

Q3: What’s the minimum cohort size?

A: Pilots work with as few as 20 learners.

Q4: Can projects run entirely online?

A: Yes — Practera supports hybrid and fully virtual models.

Q5: How do I prove impact to accreditors?

A: Practera dashboards track skill growth and employer satisfaction.

Q6: Can this work with international students?

A: Yes — Practera has delivered projects with 6,700+ international students across 70+ countries

Q7: How do I ensure employers get value?

A: Practera quality-assures briefs and mentors students to deliver actionable insights.

Q8: Can I run projects outside business schools?

A: Yes — Practera supports STEM, health, policy, and more.

Q9: How quickly can we launch?

A: Pilots can start in 4–6 weeks.

Q10: What skills do students actually gain?

A: Top gains: problem solving, teamwork, leadership, cultural awareness

Q11: Can projects run with global employers?

A: Yes — Practera has sourced 50+ clients across time zones for KBS

Q12: Is there evidence that students recommend this?

A: Yes — 92% of WSU students, 94% of KBS students, 87% of SAIEP students recommend

Still have questions? Book a call with our team.

Conclusion: Practera as your Partner

Authentic industry projects are no longer “nice-to-have” in business schools. They are essential to:

  1. Meet employer and student expectations.
  2. Deliver accreditation-ready innovation.
  3. Enhance employability outcomes at scale.

 .

Practera makes this possible with:

  • A global employer network and templated project briefs.
  • An AI-enabled platform for reflection, feedback, and reporting.
  • A track record of success with leading schools (KBS, LSE, WSU) and national programs (SAIEP, WACE).

Book a call with Practera to explore projects & programs for your business school

 

5-Step Framework for Scaling Experiential Learning in Higher Education

July 9, 2025 EmployabilityLeave a comment

Scaling Experiential Learning: A 5-Step Framework for Higher Education

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and an increasingly competitive job market, higher education faces a critical mandate: to equip students not just with theoretical knowledge, but with the practical skills and competencies demanded by employers. Universities implementing experiential learning programs see remarkable results.

Experiential learning (EL) – from authentic industry projects and virtual internships to real-world challenges – is widely recognized as the most effective pathway to achieving this. Yet, for many universities, the challenge isn’t the value of EL, but its scalability. How can institutions expand these resource-intensive programs from niche offerings to core components of their curriculum, reaching thousands of students without compromising quality or overburdening faculty?

At Practera, we’ve partnered with leading universities globally to overcome precisely this challenge, empowering over 150,000 users across 70+ countries and working with over 7,000 industry project clients. Through years of dedicated innovation and successful program delivery, we’ve distilled the complex process of expanding EL into a clear, actionable 5-step framework. This isn’t just theory; it’s a proven blueprint for scaling experiential learning programs that leads to enhanced student employability and sustainable university industry projects. We specialize in providing turnkey experiential learning solutions, running end-to-end scalable industry experience programs tailored for diverse budgets and scales, encompassing a growing and dynamic project portfolio from disciplines like Data & AI, Business & Finance, Social Impact & Policy, Marketing & Communications, Sustainability & Climate, and Future of Work.

Let’s dive into the future of higher education experiential learning.

Step 1: Define Your Strategic Vision and Measurable Outcomes

The foundation of any successful, scalable initiative lies in absolute clarity of purpose. Without a well-defined vision, efforts to expand will be fragmented and ineffective.

  • Beyond the Buzzword: Pinpoint Specific Learning Outcomes: Resist the urge to keep learning objectives vague. Instead of simply aiming for “teamwork,” specify “students will apply agile project management methodologies within diverse, cross-functional teams to deliver a client-facing solution.” This level of detail guides project design and assessment. Consider leveraging established competency frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies, internal university frameworks) to map skills, ensuring students develop future of work skills.
  • Align with Institutional and Curricular Goals: How do your EL programs contribute to your university’s broader mission? Are they boosting graduate employment rates, enhancing student retention, fostering industry partnerships, or driving innovation? Ensure explicit links to departmental curricula to facilitate integration and academic credit. Practera offers a “library of project types, durations & levels” and can curate projects from thousands of employers globally, ensuring perfect alignment with your specific learning requirements across diverse disciplines such as Data & AI, Business & Finance, Social Impact & Policy, Marketing & Communications, Sustainability & Climate, and Future of Work.
  • Establish Clear Metrics from Day One: What does success look like, and how will you measure it? This isn’t an afterthought. This directly impacts higher education employability outcomes
    Think about:

    • Student Learning: Pre/post-assessments of skills, rubric-based evaluation of project deliverables, reflective journals. Practera’s data shows 92% of students improve employability skills after completing programs.
    • Student Satisfaction & Engagement: Program surveys, participation rates.
    • Industry Partner Satisfaction: Feedback on student performance, project outcomes.
    • Employability Outcomes: Post-graduation employment rates, job relevance, starting salaries.
    • Program Efficiency: Cost per student, faculty time saved.

Why this matters for scaling experiential learning: Clarity provides a consistent foundation. When you scale, you replicate a successful model. Without a clear definition of success, you risk scaling inefficiency or programs that doesn’t truly deliver on its promise.

Educator in a suit interacting with a virtual interface showing student icons connected across a world map, symbolizing global online learning and remote student engagement

Step 2: Leverage a Purpose-Built Technology Platform (The Scalability Engine)

This is arguably the most critical step for scaling experiential learning programs. Attempting to manage hundreds or thousands of students across multiple industry projects using spreadsheets, generic communication tools, and manual processes is a recipe for overwhelm and failure. A dedicated, purpose-built platform acts as your scalability engine, capable of supporting over 150,000 users globally.

  • Automate Administrative Burdens: Imagine a system that handles student registration, project allocation, team formation, and mentor matching with minimal human intervention. This frees up faculty and administrative staff to focus on pedagogical support, quality control, and relationship building – activities that truly enhance the EL experience, rather than getting bogged down in logistics. Practera facilitates various program models, from short Nano projects (25 hours / 2 weeks) and Micro projects (50 hours / 3 weeks) to comprehensive Major projects (8-10 weeks / 80-120 hours), all seamlessly managed and delivered digitally, allowing for cost-effective scaling for diverse budgets.
  • Foster Seamless Engagement through Intuitive Design: A key challenge in both traditional and especially modern virtual internships and industry projects or projects is maintaining student and mentor engagement. A platform needs:
    • Intuitive User Interfaces: Easy-to-navigate apps for students and mentors encourage consistent interaction. Practera’s engaging apps for learners and mentors contribute to an 86% student and industry willingness to recommend their programs.
    • Centralized Communication: Integrated chat, discussion forums, and announcement features prevent fragmented communication across multiple channels.
    • Structured Workflows: Tools that guide students through project milestones, submission deadlines, and feedback loops. Practera’s platform facilitates various program types including Industry Consulting Projects, Automated Projects with AI client feedback, and Employability & Skills Modules, covering a range of disciplines.
    • Resource Hubs: Easy access to project briefs, learning materials, and templates, including Practera’s pre-built content libraries.
  • Unlock Deep Data with AI-Powered Analytics: Beyond just managing programs, a powerful platform provides insights. This is where AI in experiential learning truly shines.
    • Real-time Performance Tracking: Monitor student progress, engagement levels, and skill development against defined competencies.
    • Identify Trends & Gaps: Pinpoint common challenges, areas where students excel, or where additional support is needed.
    • Prove Impact: Generate comprehensive reports that demonstrate the effectiveness of your programs, tying directly back to the metrics defined in Step 1. This data is invaluable for stakeholder reporting and continuous improvement.

The Practera Advantage: Our platform is engineered precisely for this, powering award-winning national and global programs through its versatile capabilities. Practera offers turnkey experiential learning solutions where they manage all aspects, providing a fully supported and quality-assured service adaptable to various budgets and scales. Its customizability allows you to tailor workflows to your institution’s unique needs, while our engaging apps for learners and mentors ensure a seamless, interactive experience. Crucially, Practera’s AI-powered analytics provide the granular data you need to monitor engagement, track skill progression, and definitively prove the ROI of industry projects in higher education, making scaling not just possible, but demonstrably impactful. This includes the capability for Automated Projects with AI client feedback, which provides immediate, scalable insights for learners, and supports a diverse project portfolio ranging from Data & AI to Marketing & Communications, Social Impact & Policy, and Future of Work. Whether you opt for a full turnkey managed service or a platform-only model for direct control, Practera provides the robust technology infrastructure for successful, large-scale EL.

Educator sitting at a desk applauding during a virtual classroom session, with multiple students shown clapping in a video call on the monitor; a laptop nearby displays a digital lesson planner

Step 3: Cultivate and Diversify Robust Industry Partnerships

Scalability demands a consistent pipeline of high-quality, authentic industry projects. This requires a proactive and strategic approach to building and maintaining relationships with employers, as evidenced by Practera’s 7,000+ industry project clients globally.

  • Articulate the “Win-Win”: Employers aren’t just doing you a favor. Highlight the tangible benefits for them: access to fresh talent, innovative solutions to real business challenges, a cost-effective way to trial potential hires, and enhanced corporate social responsibility. Frame it as a talent pipeline and innovation engine.
  • Broaden Your Outreach & Discipline Focus: Don’t limit yourself to traditional alumni networks. Explore industry associations, local chambers of commerce, government agencies, and even global corporations for virtual opportunities. Diversify by industry sector, company size (startups, SMEs, large enterprises), and project type. Practera excels at this, actively sourcing curated projects from thousands of employers globally across a “range of discipline specific models.” This includes a diverse project portfolio spanning Data & AI, Business & Finance, Social Impact & Policy, Marketing & Communications, Sustainability & Climate, and Future of Work, ensuring relevant opportunities for all student cohorts.
  • Streamline the Partner Experience: Make it incredibly easy for partners to participate. Provide clear, concise project brief templates, a simple submission process (ideally through your platform), and dedicated support. The easier it is for them, the more likely they are to re-engage. Practera’s turnkey solutions take this burden off universities by managing client sourcing and matching, ensuring projects are aligned to your learning requirements.
  • Nurture Long-Term Relationships: Successful partnerships are built on trust and mutual benefit. Regular communication, showcasing project successes, and gathering feedback from partners are essential for repeat engagement and sustained program growth.

Why this matters for scaling experiential learning: A diverse and robust network ensures you can accommodate growing student numbers and offer a variety of experiences, catering to different disciplines and career aspirations, from Data & AI focused projects to Marketing & Communications challenges.

Female educator conducting an online lesson from home, holding a notebook and pen while engaging with students on a video call displayed on a computer monitor; educational materials and a microphone are on the desk

Step 4: Standardize and Optimize Program Delivery

To truly scale, your programs need to move beyond bespoke, one-off initiatives. Consistency in quality and experience is paramount, regardless of budget or scale, when managing programs across over 130 university partners globally.

  • Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Create clear, documented guidelines for every stage of program delivery: from student application review and project matching to project kickoff, ongoing supervision, and final assessment. This ensures consistency even as your program grows and new faculty/staff come on board. Practera offers pre-built content libraries and templates, and its programs feature “pre-defined milestones, activities and tasks” to ensure consistent outcomes.
  • Invest in Stakeholder Training: Provide comprehensive training for all involved parties – faculty coordinators, program administrators, and crucially, your industry mentors. Train them on the platform’s functionality, best practices for student engagement in an EL context, and effective feedback delivery. Practera provides extensive platform training and ongoing support, with support staff consisting of experienced educators and practitioners.
  • Quality Assurance Checkpoints: Implement regular touchpoints for monitoring program quality. This could include reviewing project briefs for clarity and scope, checking in with student teams and mentors, and ensuring timely feedback delivery. Proactive quality control prevents issues from escalating across a larger cohort. Practera’s programs are quality assured, achieving 86% average satisfaction.
  • Leverage Managed Services or Platform-Only Flexibility: Practera provides flexible options to suit various institutional needs and budgets. Their turnkey solution offers complete end-to-end management, where Practera handles program design, client sourcing, delivery, and participant support, making it ideal for institutions looking for a streamlined, highly scalable option for programs in areas like Data & AI or Social Impact & Policy. Alternatively, the ‘Platform-only’ model allows institutions to leverage Practera’s technology, content, and templates to embed and manage their own consistent processes.

Practera’s Edge: Our platform’s customizability allows institutions to implement standardized workflows across diverse departments and program types (e.g., Skills Credentialing, Career Discovery & Networking, Innovation Challenges, and bespoke custom programs designed to specific requirements across areas like Marketing & Communications or Sustainability & Climate). This consistency, coupled with streamlined management tools and comprehensive support, ensures that quality scales alongside volume, making Step 4 achievable without sacrificing program integrity. Our ability to manage fully supported, quality assured programs with thousands of learners and hundreds of industry partners ensures a robust framework for high-quality delivery across all disciplines.

Futuristic robotic hand reaching out beside the words 'Scalable Programs' on a dark digital background, symbolizing technology-driven, adaptive educational or training solutions

Step 5: Measure Impact, Prove ROI, and Iterate for Continuous Growth

The final, but continuous, step in scaling is demonstrating value and using data to refine your approach. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it, and you certainly can’t justify further investment.

  • Quantify Learning Outcomes and Skill Development: Go beyond anecdotes. Use your platform’s data to show tangible improvements in student competencies. Did they develop critical thinking, communication, or problem-solving skills? How do pre-program assessments compare to post-program evaluations? Practera’s data shows a 92% improvement in student employability skills.
  • Track Employability and Career Progression: The ultimate goal for many students is a successful career. Monitor graduate employment rates, the relevance of their first job to their studies, and the speed of their job search. Connect these directly to their participation in experiential learning programs, which can include 2-week Nano projects or longer Micro/Major projects in specific fields like Business & Finance.
  • Assess Stakeholder Satisfaction: Gather structured feedback from students (on program experience, learning gains), industry partners (on project outcomes, student quality), and faculty (on program support, administrative burden). Practera programs consistently achieve an 86% student and industry willingness to recommend.
  • Calculate Program ROI: This is crucial for internal advocacy and external funding. Consider:
    • Student ROI: Enhanced employability, higher starting salaries, faster job placement.
    • Institutional ROI: Increased student enrollment/retention, enhanced reputation, research opportunities from industry partnerships, faculty professional development.
    • Industry Partner ROI: Solutions to real problems, access to talent, positive brand exposure.
    • Compare these benefits against the total program costs (staff time, platform fees, etc.).
  • Implement Iterative Improvement Cycles: Use the data and feedback collected to identify areas for refinement in your framework, program design, and delivery. Scaling is an ongoing process of optimization.

The Practera Advantage: This is where Practera’s AI-powered analytics become an indispensable asset for higher education impact measurement. Our platform centralizes all data – from student activity logs and mentor feedback to project outcomes and skill assessments. It then processes this data to provide:

  • Granular Insights: Understand performance at individual, team, program, and institutional levels.
  • Customizable Reporting: Generate clear, compelling reports for deans, provosts, industry partners, and even prospective students.
  • Definitive ROI Proof: Quantify the value delivered, justifying continued investment and demonstrating the immense impact of your scaled experiential learning initiatives. This comprehensive data capability supports evidence-based, employer-engaged, and systematized experiential learning for accreditation and funding, across all program types and disciplines managed via turnkey solutions or platform-only approaches.

Overlay of a woman’s face with multicolored digital code and data visualizations beside the text 'AI-Powered Analytics,' representing the use of artificial intelligence in educational data analysis and performance tracking

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long does it take to implement a scalable experiential learning framework?
A: Most universities see initial results within 6-8 weeks, with full framework implementation typically completed in one academic semester.

Q: What’s the average cost savings from scaling experiential learning programs?
A: Universities report 40-60% cost reduction in program administration while increasing student participation by 300%.

Q: Can this framework work for online and hybrid learning environments?
A: Yes, our framework is specifically designed for virtual internships and remote industry projects, making it perfect for modern educational delivery.

Conclusion: Embrace the Future of Higher Education with Scalable EL

The future of higher education is deeply intertwined with the ability to provide meaningful, scalable experiential learning. It’s no longer a niche offering, but a core differentiator for institutions committed to producing truly work-ready, adaptable graduates. By systematically applying this 5-step framework – defining clear outcomes, leveraging purpose-built technology, cultivating strong partnerships, standardizing delivery, and rigorously measuring impact – your institution can transition from delivering limited EL opportunities to transforming the educational experience for thousands of students. Practera has already successfully done this for over 150,000 learners and 130+ university partners globally, supporting a diverse project portfolio across disciplines like Data & AI, Business & Finance, Social Impact & Policy, Marketing & Communications, Sustainability & Climate, and Future of Work.

Practera is more than just a platform; it’s a strategic partner enabling universities to achieve this vision. We provide the customizability, engaging apps, and AI-powered analytics that empower you to manage, scale, and prove the value of your experiential learning programs. Our turnkey solutions offer a seamless, end-to-end service for running scalable industry experience programs for various budgets of size and scales, or you can leverage our platform-only model for direct control. We curate projects from thousands of employers globally, ensuring authentic and relevant experiences.

What are you waiting for? The future of education is experiential, and it’s scalable.
Ready to transform your programs? Contact our education specialists today.

Group of diverse students and an educator gathered in discussion beside promotional text inviting users to schedule a personalized Practera demo, highlighting scalable educational programs and global impact

Launching Horizons at AGCAS 2025: Empowering Employability for All

May 14, 2025 Practera NewsLeave a comment

Practera is proud to be the Headline Sponsor of the AGCAS Annual Conference 2025, taking place on 17–18 June at Newcastle University. As a headline sponsor, our goal is to support meaningful dialogue and action on the theme “Employability for All.” A mission that aligns directly with the launch of our new sector-wide initiative: the Horizons Programme UK.

The Horizons Programme UK has been developed as a strategic, scalable, and inclusive solution to address one of higher education’s most pressing challenges: providing equitable access to meaningful work experience opportunities for undergraduate students from Widening Participation (WP) backgrounds.

Addressing the Work Experience Gap in Widening Participation

Graduate employability is increasingly dependent on more than just academic achievement. Students now need to demonstrate experience, confidence, and transferable skills to secure employment post-graduation. For students from WP backgrounds, however, access to professional experience often remains limited. The reasons range from geographic and financial constraints to a lack of social capital, professional networks, and flexible opportunity structures.

A 2021 King’s College London study found that WP students frequently underestimate the value of work-integrated learning, often due to a lack of exposure or encouragement. As a result, many students miss the critical early experiences that build career confidence and lead to long-term outcomes.

The Horizons Programme UK is designed to intervene in this gap by providing introductory, project-based professional experience at scale. It is more than a virtual internship. It is a model for inclusive work-integrated learning tailored to the structural realities of WP students.

Introducing the Horizons Programme UK

The Horizons Programme UK is a virtual, national programme that enables undergraduate students from WP backgrounds to participate in short-term, real-world consulting projects with industry partners. The projects are designed to build critical employability skills, problem solving, communication, teamwork, and project management while boosting self-efficacy and awareness of career pathways.

This UK employability programme offers a delivery model that:

  • Removes geographic and logistical barriers through fully virtual participation
  • Aligns with academic schedules, allowing students to balance learning and work
  • Provides scaffolding and support from trained mentors and educators
  • Offers measurable learning outcomes aligned to institutional KPIs and OfS frameworks
  • Is cost-effective and scalable for institutions without requiring large internal teams

Each student cohort is placed in a small team and matched with a real client project. Over two to three weeks, students complete defined deliverables, receive feedback, and engage in structured reflection. The result is a high-impact learning experience that contributes directly to graduate employability.

Current University Partners

Horizons is already supported by a diverse consortium of UK universities committed to equitable employability. Founding partners include:

These institutions represent a cross-section of regions, groupings, and missions, united by a shared goal: to deliver impactful work experience to underserved learners in a scalable, collaborative way.

Official Launch at AGCAS Annual Conference 2025

Horizons will formally launch during a featured session at the AGCAS Annual Conference 2025:

  • Session Title: Horizons Programme UK Launch
  • Date: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
  • Time: 2:45 PM
  • Location: Room FDC.G.06, Newcastle University
  • Speaker: Kate Daubney, Practera Advisory Board Member and Chair of the Horizons Programme Governance Group

If you are attending AGCAS, we invite you to join the session and visit our exhibition booth. Meet the team, view the platform, and see how your institution can become part of the next Horizons cohort starting in July 2025.

Why It Matters for UK Higher Education

The Office for Students (OfS) continues to emphasise outcomes, equity, and employability in its Access and Participation Plan requirements. With limited resources, many institutions are seeking ways to offer scalable employability initiatives for universities that align with these goals without overstretching their teams.

Horizons provides a model that:

  • Directly supports undergraduate career support strategies
  • Demonstrates institutional impact on social mobility and inclusion
  • Aligns to TEF, OfS, and Access Plan goals
  • Enhances relationships with employers and external partners
  • Prepares students for placements, graduate roles, or further internships

By offering a programme that delivers inclusive work-integrated learning at scale, institutions can increase access and impact simultaneously.

What Makes Horizons Unique?

Compared to traditional internship models or employability workshops, Horizons offers a structured alternative with meaningful advantages:

  • It is designed for early-year students who are often excluded from more competitive internships
  • It is virtual, meaning it can include students with caregiving duties, disabilities, or those living in regional or rural locations
  • It uses real, client-driven projects from industry and the community
  • It is technology-enabled, using the Practera platform to streamline onboarding, delivery, feedback, and reporting
  • It is backed by a national community of practice focused on quality, reflection, and continuous improvement

Evidence of Impact

Practera-supported programmes have delivered over 100,000 learner experiences globally. In recent student surveys across our UK and Australian programmes:

  • 92 percent of participants reported increased career confidence
  • 89 percent improved their teamwork and communication skills
  • 87 percent felt more job-ready

Horizons builds on this proven model by tailoring it for WP students and UK institutions.

Supporting University Staff and Careers Teams

Horizons is co-delivered with institutional staff and designed to complement existing services, not replace them. Careers, Widening Participation, Employability, and Academic departments can all benefit from:

  • High-quality virtual work experiences that require limited facilitation time
  • Insightful analytics and outcomes reporting
  • Opportunities to embed authentic learning in modules, bootcamps, or standalone initiatives
  • Cost-sharing models and subsidised student places to enable sustainability

Book a time to speak with the team at AGCAS: https://go.practera.com/agcas-practera-2025

Looking Ahead: The Future of Inclusive Employability

The graduate employability landscape is evolving. Employers are placing greater value on real-world experience, adaptability, and applied problem-solving. For WP students, structured support into these opportunities can be a defining moment.

With growing interest from both institutions and students, Horizons is positioned to be the UK’s leading platform for inclusive, introductory work-based learning. By focusing on equity, flexibility, and national collaboration, the programme offers a new standard for what employability for all can look like.

If your institution shares the mission of widening access and delivering scalable impact, we would love to collaborate.

Visit the programme site: https://go.practera.com/horizons-educator-portal

Or email us to learn more: info@practera.com

Enhancing Student Employability in 2024-2025: A Complete Guide for Educators

December 3, 2024 EmployabilityLeave a comment

As the global workforce changes, helping students gain the skills, experiences, and flexibility they need to succeed has never been more important. Boosting student employability is a major priority for educators, especially in higher education.

This guide, insightfully crafted by Practera, dives into pragmatic and constructive strategies to improve higher education learner employability in 2024-25. The guide also provides insights and solutions from proven programs and case studies from various global employability programs implemented by Team Practera.

The guide is easy to read and has many action points for you to implement in your institutional environment. You can also reach Team Practera at any point in your journey to help you with your student employability needs.

Why Improve Student Employability?

Employability isn’t just about landing a job—it’s about preparing students to thrive in today’s complex workplaces. Employers are looking for people who are skilled, adaptable, collaborative, and creative.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report shows that skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-management are increasingly essential. By adding employability-focused strategies to education, educators can bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world needs, helping students succeed in their careers.

Understanding Employability Skills

Employability skills, commonly known as “soft skills” or “translatable skills,” are the necessary abilities that allow people to function properly in numerous workplaces. These are job-agnostic skills that are desired in every industry, and the need will only grow. Some of the key employability skills are:

Communicating: Being able to transmit ideas in a meaningful way.

Collaboration: Working effectively with others to meet shared goals.

Problem Solving: Finding the problems and solving them.

Flexible: The ability to change as per the situation and maintain a positive approach.

Leadership: Guiding and inspiring others towards success.

These skills are crucial as they enhance an individual’s capacity to contribute positively in the workplace, regardless of their role or industry.

Why are employability skills important from an employer’s perspective?

Employability skills are often more valued by employers than academic perfection. Academic performance is a critical marker of intelligence, but the application of skills in practice, the ability to work as a team, and the adoption of proactivity are key.

A study published in the International Journal of Academe and Industry Research revealed that employers place a greater emphasis on essential skills like leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills instead of formal qualifications.

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report paints a similar picture, with analytical thinking and creative thinking ranking among the top skills through 2027.

This is important to employers because it indicates the potential of an employee to:

Navigate Complex Work Environments: Employability Skills allow individuals to respond to a wide range of work situations.

Fuel Innovation: Innovative solutions stem from creative thinking and problem-solving.

Improve Team Dynamics: Good communication creates a culture of teamwork.

Thus, these are the skills that students need to develop so as to ensure that they meet employer expectations and excel in their careers.

Strategies to Boost Employability

1. Hands-On Learning Programs

Hands-on learning connects classroom knowledge to real-world experiences. Examples include internships, industry projects, and teamwork challenges.

How Practera Helps

Practera’s platform helps educators design and manage hands-on learning programs. It supports collaboration with industry partners, gives real-time feedback, and offers insights into what’s working.

Case Study: King’s Business School Global Industry Project

King’s College London worked with Practera to run team-based consultancy projects for 50 employers and 300 students. The experience was remote but made a big impact.

2. Teach Skills Beyond the Classroom

Employers care about skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and communication—just as much as technical know-how.

Practera’s Solution

Practera supports skill-building through project-based learning. Its tools give students personalized feedback to help them improve in real time.

Case Study: LSE Skills Accelerator

The London School of Economics (LSE) and Practera created a virtual program that helped students grow their professional skills through hands-on modules and real industry projects.

Working in a consulting firm

3. Build Industry Connections

Strong ties with industry partners give students real-world exposure and a better understanding of workplace expectations.

Practera in Action

Practera connects educators with a network of industry professionals for real-world industry experiences for their learners, mentorships, and collaborative projects.

Case Study: Study Australia Industry Experience Program

In collaboration with Practera Study Australia, built a low-cost Industry experience program that paired international students with local organizations for two-week business projects. Discover more about the Practera-powered initiative.

4. Use Data to Improve Outcomes

Data can help educators adjust programs to better meet industry needs and fill skill gaps.

Practera’s Analytics

Practera offers detailed analytics on student engagement, skill growth, and program success, helping educators make smarter decisions.

Preparing for a consulting career

5. Promote Lifelong Learning

Preparing students for a dynamic job market means encouraging continuous learning and adaptability.

How Practera Fits In

Practera’s tools help educators add the latest trends and technologies to their programs, keeping students ready for what’s next.

6. Career-Readiness Workshops

Resume workshops, interview practice, and networking events can help students feel more prepared for the workforce.

Practera’s Role

Practera makes it easy to include career-readiness activities in broader employability programs.

Additional Tips for Educators

Encourage Networking: Create events where students meet professionals.

Share Success Stories: Highlight students who’ve grown through employability programs.

Engage Alumni: Tap into alumni networks for mentorship and advice.

Practera’s Role in Student Employability

Practera offers flexible, scalable solutions for educators to create programs that work for both students and industries. With Practera, you can:

Deliver real-world learning experiences.

Track results with data-driven insights.

Help students build the confidence to succeed in their careers.

Wrapping Up: Supporting Educators and Students

The workplace is evolving, and helping students become employable is key for educators. By adding hands-on learning, industry connections, skill-building, and lifelong learning, educators can make a real difference.

As the job market evolves, the importance of building employability through employability skills cannot be overstated. By focusing on developing these crucial competencies alongside academic knowledge, educators can significantly enhance their students’ career prospects. The graph below combines insights from – World Economic Forum – Future of Jobs Report (2023), National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), McKinsey Global Institute – Future of Work Skills, provide a comprehensive view of the top employability skills that employers value most in candidates entering the workforce in 2024. Analytical thinking ranks highest, with 92% of employers emphasizing its importance. This reflects the growing need for individuals who can interpret complex information and make data-driven decisions.

Active learning and complex problem-solving follow closely, showcasing the importance of adaptability and the ability to tackle multifaceted challenges. Leadership and creativity are also highly prized, reflecting the need for employees who can innovate and inspire teams.

Resilience, adaptability, teamwork, emotional intelligence, and communication round out the top skills, demonstrating that soft skills remain critical for workplace success. These skills help individuals collaborate effectively, manage stress, and contribute to a positive workplace culture.

This data underscores why educators must prioritize building these skills in students through experiential learning, professional development workshops, and industry partnerships. By fostering these competencies, students are better equipped to meet employer expectations and excel in their careers.

Partnering with Practera offers a powerful solution to scale employability skills programs effectively, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the challenges of the modern workforce.

Ready to transform your approach to employability skills development? Contact Practera today to explore how we can help you prepare your students for career success.

Practera is here to support you every step of the way. When students graduate not just with knowledge but with experience and confidence, they’re set up to succeed in any job market.

Start improving your students’ employability today. Explore Practera’s Solutions.

Unleashing the Power of Hybrid Learning: Bridging the Gap with Experiential Education

September 30, 2024 Experiential Learning, Practera Learning, UncategorizedLeave a comment

As educators, we are always looking for ways to provide rich and engaging learning experiences that meet students’ diverse needs. Hybrid learning has emerged as a game-changer. It blends online and in-person teaching for flexibility and accessibility. But preparing students for real-life needs more. We mix experiential learning—an approach that combines book smarts with practical, hands-on skills. This piece dives into how combining hybrid learning with experiential education can make learning more inclusive, effective, and future-ready.

The skyrocketing demand for flexible learning environments pushes us to adapt. A 2022/23 Jisc survey of over 27,000 UK students gives us valuable insights to use while designing and tweaking our hybrid programs.

Digital Satisfaction vs. Community Connection

81% of students said they were happy with their digital learning experience. However, only 44% felt like they belonged in their online learning communities. This shows us a big challenge: creating meaningful connections in a digital space—is key if hybrid learning will be truly effective.

Assistive Technology: Supporting Diverse Learners

57% of students said they used at least one type of assistive tech. International students found tools such as captioning and writing support super helpful. This reminds us that ensuring everyone has access to what they need is crucial in hybrid learning settings.

Persistent Challenges in Hybrid Learning

Bad WiFi keeps messing up online learning. Limited private study spaces make it hard for students to focus. Some still struggle to get devices, especially marginalized learners. We’ve got to push for better infrastructure and equal access so that no one is left behind in hybrid settings.

While hybrid learning provides flexibility, it’s vital not to rely solely on online materials. Introducing experiential learning can add real-world relevance to the classroom. This method allows students to apply what they learn in real situations. It enhances their understanding and engagement considerably. Plus, it preps them for the challenges they might face in the workplace

Why Experiential Learning Matters in Hybrid Education

  • Enhanced Engagement: Hands-on projects grab attention and link theory to practice.
  • Career Readiness: Work with industry partners on real issues gives useful skills & experiences.
  • Meaningful Connections: Group projects help build bonds and cut down on the isolation that online learning creates.
  • Skill Development: Teaches problem-solving, teamwork, & communication—hard to get through lectures alone.

For educators, blending experiential learning into hybrid models can be both innovative and practical. Here are some ideas:

  • Live Industry Projects: Team up with companies to give students real-world problems, offering relevance & hands-on practice.
  • Virtual Internships: Remote internships let students gain work experience without location barriers.
  • Simulations and Role-Playing: Use tech to create immersive scenarios where students practice solving issues.
  • Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Get students from different fields to work together on complex projects, like real-world teamwork.

These ideas offer students not just curriculum knowledge but prepare them for life beyond school.

Bringing hybrid and experiential learning into schools isn’t without hurdles. Here’s how educators can tackle them:

  • Invest in Strong Tech Infrastructure: Push for reliable WiFi & devices so all students can join hybrid learning fully.
  • Create Flexible Learning Spaces: Make on-campus spots that cater to both solo & group study styles.
  • Enhance Accessibility: Ensure courses include assistive tech & content for different needs.
  • Comprehensive Support Systems: Offer tech support, mentoring, & guidance so students can navigate hybrid environments smoothly.

For those looking to blend hybrid and experiential learning well, Practera provides custom solutions that are flexible, scalable, and fit modern student needs. Practera’s platform helps educators easily incorporate experiential learning into their courses.

  • Customizable Learning Journeys: Design paths that mix online and face-to-face experiences uniquely for each student.
  • Industry Collaboration Opportunities: Facilitate remote internships & live industry projects easily through Practera.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Use analytics built into Practera to track student engagement/results & improve course delivery continuously.
  • Scalable Solutions: Support large programs effortlessly, allowing institutions to offer top-quality hybrid experiences broadly.

Partnering with Practera offers educators a more dynamic, flexible &, and career-focused environment, prepping students for future challenges.

As educators, we are at the forefront of a rapidly shifting educational landscape. By combining the adaptability of hybrid learning with the hands-on approach to experiential methods, we can craft an engaging and career-focused environment for all learners. This helps us meet the needs of today’s students while equipping them with essential skills for facing tomorrow’s challenges.

So, how do hybrid and experiential learning enhance your educational journey? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

Northeastern University partners with Practera to drive digital experiential learning

September 7, 2020 Practera NewsLeave a comment
Kenneth Henderson Chancellor & Senior Vice President Learning at Northeastern University

Northeastern University Chancellor Ken Henderson will be the keynote speaker on Wednesday 9 September at the Melbourne Edtech summit, interviewed by The Australian Education Editor in Chief, Tim Dodd.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Northeastern is a global leader in experiential learning. It’s Co-op / internship program is one of the largest in the US with 27,000 students across 10 campuses and 3100 corporate partners around the world.

Professor Henderson will talk about how the future of co-operative education will be enabled by edtech – more digital, experiential, modular and lifelong, with new digital models bringing educators and employers together to service students from highschool through university and throughout their careers.

As part of its vision, Northeastern University has partnered with Australian experiential learning edtech Practera. Practera provides a flexible experiential learning platform delivering solutions from;

  • digital projects for high school students with the City of Boston
  • remote internships with a range of Community Colleges as part of a National Science Foundation project, and
  • corporate training through task first feedback & mentoring in the flow of work.

As well as being a customer and partner, Northeastern led Practera’s recent investment round to accelerate Practera’s rapid growth in the US, alongside existing investor Main Sequence Ventures.

Wes Sonnenreich, co-founder and co-CEO of Practera now based in Boston, “We are excited at the opportunity to work with Northeastern University more closely and bring to life our shared vision of creating opportunity through experiential learning. We are proud that we have developed a platform primarily in Australia, which leading US experiential learning thought leaders are now recognising as best in class.”

Register for the free virtual summit.

Professor Laura-Anne Bull joins Practera to drive Academic Partnerships.

August 16, 2020 Practera NewsLeave a comment
Laura-Anne brings 15 years of Senior University Executive experience to Practera.

Practera is pleased to welcome Professor Laura-Anne Bull to the team as Executive Director of Academic Partnerships.

As a recent Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students, committed digital innovator and Practera customer, Laura-Anne is well placed to work with our Higher Education customers in Australia and globally.

About the appointment, Laura-Anne said, “Experiential learning is a strategic opportunity space for Universities seeking to attract & retain students, enhance their employability and engage industry. 2020 is proving to be a year like no other and institutions have had to adapt quickly to becoming more digitally enabled whilst remaining cost-effective. A great deal of the heavy lifting has been done by university staff but there is still more work to do. I wanted an opportunity to develop my own skills and experience in digital innovation and edtech as these are crucial to the future of our sector. I’d worked with Practera before so I knew that they were global leaders delivering amazing impact for their customers and also great to work with. So having made the call to ‘disrupt myself’ in this time – it was a natural discussion and I’m now delighted to be part of the team. I’m looking forward to working with a range of colleagues from across the sector as we work in partnership to define our ‘new normal’ and continue to position Australia as a global leader in tertiary education where all our students engage in the best student experience anywhere in the world.”

Practera Co-Founder and Co-CEO Beau Leese agreed. “We’ve had years of edtech innovation compressed into months this year, and the next few years will see further innovation required to develop new value propositions for domestic & international students and industry partners. Having worked with Laura-Anne previously I knew her as a strategic digital innovator with a passion for student experience, access and equity – values that really align with our mission. I really respect that someone of Laura-Anne’s calibre has joined an edtech startup and she will be well placed to help our customers and leadership team with her insights and experience.”

Laura-Anne brings 15 years of Senior University Executive experience to the role. Most recently, Laura-Anne was Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students at James Cook University. Prior to her role as DVC with JCU, Laura-Anne was PVC Student Engagement and Equity at UniSA, Registrar Student Life at ANU, and Head of Student Experience, Registrar and Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Laura-Anne has worked as a Development Engineer with Syngenta & British Gas and holds a PhD in Chem Engineering.

Laura-Anne will join longstanding Practera Senior Academic Advisor Professor @Tony Watson as resident former Senior University Executives. Tony is a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor International and Executive Dean Computing, Health & Science with Edith Cowan University.

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