Higher Education Case Studies
Do business simulations work in higher education?
Universities using simulation-based learning report consistent improvements in student engagement, depth of understanding, and graduate employability outcomes.
SimVenture’s products – Evolution, Classic, and Validate – are used by universities across the UK, Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia to support business education at undergraduate, postgraduate, and MBA level.
Trusted by universities including: Edinburgh Napier University, University of Bradford, Loughborough University, University of Sunderland in London, University of Dundee, Robert Gordon University, Munster Technological University, Technological University Dublin, University of the Arts London, Drexel University, Dalhousie University, Tshwane University of Technology, and many more.
Helping students stand out in the graduate job market
One of the most powerful outcomes of business simulation in higher education is the direct impact on graduate employability — giving students a genuine, differentiated experience to talk about in interviews and applications.
Paolo Monachello, Lecturer and Course Leader at Robert Gordon University (formerly Associate Lecturer at the University of Dundee), used Evolution in both undergraduate and postgraduate Operations Management modules. He shared a striking example of its impact:
“There was one student who went for an internship during the summer, and probably thousands were applying. What made her stand out? She told them about the Operations Management and SME module, mentioning that it involved a simulation game. When the recruiters asked her to elaborate, she explained how the simulation helped her understand business operations, teamwork, and decision-making. The result? She secured the internship.”
Paolo Monachello, Lecturer & Course Leader, Robert Gordon University
A postgraduate student followed the same approach after hearing this story – using their hands-on experience with Evolution to capture a recruiter’s attention and demonstrate practical business acumen.
For Paolo, the value of Evolution extends beyond job outcomes:
“I feel that the students get more out of the module by putting it all into context and application. I enjoy running the game. I enjoy how much the students get out of it and participate in it.”
Paolo Monachello, Lecturer & Course Leader, Robert Gordon University
Developing business leadership and strategic thinking
At the University of Bradford’s School of Management, Dr David Spicer, Associate Professor in Organisational Studies, uses Evolution with MSc students on a core module called ‘Developing Skills for Business Leadership’ – covering both Human Resource Management and Applied AI & Data Analytics students.
“I want to give students an opportunity to work in as close to a real environment as possible where they actually get to experience working as part of a management team. That’s where we use SimVenture Evolution.”
– Dr David Spicer, Associate Professor, University of Bradford
Dr Spicer highlights the breadth of learning the simulation generates – including insights students didn’t anticipate:
“A lot of the learning just comes from the dynamics of working as a business leadership team on the simulation itself, as much as it does about the decisions they make for the virtual business.”
– Dr David Spicer, Associate Professor, University of Bradford
For assessment, Evolution provides something genuinely valuable — every student has an experience to draw on:
“I have had students in the past on other courses come back to me and say, ‘I don’t think I’ve got anything to reflect on’. But nobody can make that excuse after using SimVenture Evolution — every student is involved in the decision-making process.”
– Dr David Spicer, Associate Professor, University of Bradford
Jodi Cataline, Clinical Professor at LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, describes Evolution as the best business simulation she has used:
“Evolution has been the best business simulation I have used. It is truly multi-disciplinary, allowing for experiential learning to happen both individually and in teams.”
– Jodi Cataline, Clinical Professor, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, USA
Building employability skills and self-awareness
At Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School, SimVenture Evolution has been used within the Employability Skills Programme (ESP) for over three years. Students run virtual companies in teams over a single day, then submit individual written reflections structured around Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle.
Dr Sarah Borthwick Saddler, Lecturer of Accounting, explains why the simulation was chosen:
“In such a competitive market it can be challenging for students to secure work placements. We needed something accessible and relevant to offer some insight into the real world. SimVenture Evolution allowed us to offer a virtual insight into the world of business for third year students who did not have a workplace placement.”
– Dr Sarah Borthwick Saddler, Lecturer of Accounting, Edinburgh Napier University
Students reflected on the experience directly:
“This experience enhanced my employability skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking, teamwork, presentation, communication and leadership — all highly sought-after attributes in the hiring process. I think this has given me valuable experience I can rely on in future interviews.”
– Student, Edinburgh Napier University
“It was very exciting to predict the outcomes and manage the company, and it felt very real-life and practical. It developed my understanding of figures in practice and how to interpret what they mean for the success of a business.”
– Student, Edinburgh Napier University
Jyoti Bhardwaj, Programme Leader and Teaching Fellow at Edinburgh Napier University, reflects on a decade of using SimVenture:
“Students learn about business while working in groups and developing their communication and presentation skills. We began ten years ago with Classic and progressed to Evolution. Our students cite both business simulation games as a fun way to learn and a highlight of their first-year experience.”
– Jyoti Bhardwaj, Programme Leader and Teaching Fellow, Edinburgh Napier University
Supporting enterprise placement years with Validate
At Loughborough University, Dr Amanda Berry, Academic Lead for Enterprise in the Curriculum, has used Validate since 2018 as an integral part of the university’s Year in Enterprise — a full placement year dedicated to students setting up and running their own businesses.
“I needed something that students could engage with in between formal sessions that I could monitor — and Validate offered me that solution.”
— Dr Amanda Berry, Academic Lead for Enterprise in the Curriculum, Loughborough University
Validate provides the structure and accountability that a self-directed enterprise year demands — without compromising student autonomy:
“I don’t want to feel like I’m in control, checking up on them like a parent figure. But I do need to keep them on track. Having Validate in the background provides a common platform we can both look at.”
— Dr Amanda Berry, Academic Lead for Enterprise in the Curriculum, Loughborough University
The platform transforms coaching conversations by anchoring them to each student’s own inputs and progress:
“We can look back at the assumptions they had at the beginning of the programme and challenge them as to whether they have tested those assumptions. It’s unlike any other teaching material in that the content is what they’ve inputted.”
— Dr Amanda Berry, Academic Lead for Enterprise in the Curriculum, Loughborough University
Robert Wilson, Manager of Student Opportunities at The Open University, has seen similar results in a competition context:
“We have used Validate in our yearly Entrepreneurship Competition and it has really enhanced the quality of our students’ submissions. The SimVenture team is very responsive and the tools they have on offer are second to none.”
— Dr Amanda Berry, Academic Lead for Enterprise in the Curriculum, Loughborough University
Enriching entrepreneurship modules across disciplines
At Munster Technological University, Trudie Murray, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Economics, used Validate with final-year Business Information Systems students on a New Venture Planning module — students who had no prior entrepreneurship education.
“They said they had never done anything like it, and they felt it really tapped into their creativity, their innovation, and their enterprise skills. They liked the fact that they went from having nothing to creating this tangible idea in 12 weeks.”
– Trudie Murray, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Economics, Munster Technological University
For Trudie, Validate transformed the assessment process — replacing a cumbersome traditional business plan with a current, interactive Business Model Canvas approach:
“The traditional business plan is debunked at this stage. Being able to use the Business Model Canvas within SimVenture Validate really brought the course up to date in terms of delivery. It made it more applicable, more experiential, and everything was on the one platform.”
– Trudie Murray, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Economics, Munster Technological University
At the University of Arts London’s London College of Fashion, Richard Mkoloma, Lecturer in Fashion & Design Management, used Validate to support students developing enterprise projects in the second year of a BSc Fashion Management degree:
“SimVenture Validate with its case studies, links and prompts supports the educational journey as it helps students to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. It can aid real-time engagement, both in and out of the classroom. It allows everyone with access the ability to connect.”
– Richard Mkoloma, Lecturer in Fashion & Design Management, UAL London College of Fashion
At Tshwane University of Technology, Elona Ndlovu-Hlatshwayo used Validate with third-year Industrial Design students — demonstrating how the platform works across disciplines far beyond traditional business programmes:
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see students leverage these tools to unlock their full creative potential and pioneer new pathways in design thinking.”
– Elona Ndlovu-Hlatshwayo, Lecturer, Tshwane University of Technology
Transforming how entrepreneurship is assessed
Professor Thomas Cooney of Technological University Dublin has explored how Validate changes the quality and integrity of student assessment in entrepreneurship education.
Moving away from last-minute business plan submissions, Validate encourages students to work consistently throughout the semester — with measurable impact on output quality:
“Now students are working throughout the semester. That changes dramatically the quality of the output.”
— Professor Thomas Cooney, Technological University Dublin
Professor Cooney identifies five distinct assessment approaches that Validate supports: formative, summative, peer, applied, and self-assessment — including mapping student learning against the EntreComp entrepreneurial competence framework.
In an era where AI-generated submissions are a growing concern, Validate’s approach to assessment is particularly valuable: because every student’s content is drawn from their own inputs, research, and decisions, the work is inherently authentic.
Dr Christina Raphaëlle Haldane, Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of Performing Arts, found Validate effective far beyond business disciplines:
“By using Validate, my students had the opportunity to explore key learning in a vibrant, interactive, and user-friendly way. The platform provided students with essential experiential learning.”
— Dr Christina Raphaëlle Haldane, Assistant Professor, Fountain School of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University, Canada
Why simulation-based learning works in higher education
Business simulations provide universities with something lectures and case studies alone cannot:
- A safe environment to make real decisions, experience consequences, and learn from failure
- Immediate, contextualised feedback that connects theory to practice
- Rich, differentiated experiences that students carry into interviews, assessments, and careers
- Flexible tools that scale from a single seminar session to a year-long programme
Explore how SimVenture can enhance your programme and improve student outcomes.
