As Bennis and O’Toole (2005) note in their article (“Have Business Schools lost their way?”), the “problem is not that business schools have embraced scientific rigor but that they have forsaken other forms of knowledge”. And 20 years later, with increasing scrutiny placed on the value of business education and the integration of responsibility and sustainability into our curricula, this problem is as relevant as ever. Regenerative Curriculum Design matters The Regenerative Curriculum Design is rooted in disrupting the analytical and linear approach dominating business education by introducing creative methods that have been practiced under the umbrella of “Design Thinking” in design schools (Dunne & Martin, 2006; Glen et al., 2014). We argue that Design Thinking “cannot be taught through traditional lecturing pedagogy” (ÇevikerÇınar et al, 2017). The Design Thinking focus on humancentricity, empathy, collaboration and interdisciplinarity proves to serve as a valuable vehicle for civic engagement that requires students’ active engagement with the local community and enhanced critical reflectivity (Boland, 2014). Taking students out of the classroom and into the ‘place’ stimulates the sense of urgency and complexity, and emphasises the reality of how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals manifest locally, right here and now. In our scholarship, we draw on the recent (sector enquiry) that draws attention to the importance of integrating business education with (civic engagement). Our regenerative curriculum approach is characterised by practice-based, immersive, stakeholder and contextdriven teaching and learning. Our vision is to co-create innovative and collaborative learning experiences that will leave a positive impact on our society. Using experiential learning and design thinking principles in the delivery of the Lancaster University postgraduate module “Design Thinking and Innovation” and associated extracurricular engagement, we created a blueprint for a transformative, crossdisciplinary and practice-based approach to curriculum development in business education. Student-led place-making We implemented the regenerative curriculum approach on the postgraduate Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme, and then expanded into extra-curricular initiatives involving the Lancaster Business Improvement District and the Lancaster City Council. Instead of relying on a preconceived case study, the curriculum revolves around a live(d)-case: the (Lancaster City Challenge). Using Design Thinking methods, students engage with the city through various immersive research methods such as ethnography, observation and experimentation with visual data capturing techniques. Students navigate the complexity of the place and build a new identity as ‘agents of change’ that comes with an increased sense of belonging, responsibility, and a transferable portfolio of skills for their future careers. We purposefully chose the term ‘regenerative’ curriculum design to capture the significant impact we achieved on local business leaders and policymakers who appreciated the knowledge exchange with students, and who now recognise the business school’s role as a place-leader and anchor institution in promoting sustainable and inclusive innovation. What are the challenges? Enacting the regenerative curriculum comes with its challenges: the three most notable ones include the changing role of the educator, the need for continuous, responsible stakeholder engagement, and scalability. The educator is required to become a facilitator of a longitudinal, real-life experiment where students and local communities co-design the curriculum in real-time. Developing a reliable network of external partnerships requires continuous investment in developing and managing external relationships while remaining mindful of reciprocity, possible ethical constraints and community overengagement. Finally, there is a logistics challenge associated with scaling delivery given the trend for larger cohort sizes and fewer appropriate delivery venues. Is it worth it? Our students’ and stakeholders’ feedback and enthusiasm for local responsible change nourish our purpose and vision: “My personal learning that I will take with me is paying more attention to the role of the place in identifying and seizing entrepreneurial opportunities. We are proud of ourselves to help make contributions to the city we now call home.” (Postgraduate student, 2021) Our unifying aim is to transform the connection between the campus and the city through incorporating a design-led, place-based pedagogy. Our experience shows that instead of teaching about responsibility and sustainability, we must invest in an immersive, place-based curriculum that enhances students’ commitment to regenerative actions and place stewardship on their journeys to entrepreneurship: “The academic team has a collaborative approach, which will contribute to the University’s civic agenda and meet the needs of our local communities, with an underpinning aim to foster students’ understanding of place and the importance of local innovation systems as part of their entrepreneurship education.” (Head of Stakeholder Relations, Lancaster University) 33 Scholarship Matters The ‘ivory tower’ perception of business schools generates countless debates about their contribution to regional socio-economic development. While subscribing to the rational and analytical learning paradigm once served to enhance business schools’ reputation by signalling their commitment to the ‘scientific model’, it now appears insufficient in addressing the multiple challenges society is facing.
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