ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

Why take MG104?

If you’re someone filled with innovative ideas and eager to make the world a more creative and forward-thinking place, then this course is for you. The MG104: Innovation Management course covers a large variety of topics that will help you understand different types of innovation, identify business challenges, and develop the skills to implement your ideas in the business world. The course begins with an introduction to various types of innovation and contemporary innovation approaches. Then, you will start to explore different frameworks, implementation challenges, and practical applications. By the end of the course, you’ll present an innovative solution to a real-world issue in London.

Course structure – lectures and seminars

Lectures typically last three hours, which might sound long, but they are anything but boring. The sessions are really interactive, focusing on debates and group discussions rather than just passive learning. A significant portion of the time is dedicated to working with fellow students to develop solutions for real-world business problems. The lectures require active participation, making them engaging and thought-provoking.

The seminars are shorter, usually lasting 1 hour and 30 minutes. You’ll be in smaller groups, and will focus on analysing case studies of companies, identifying their challenges, and exploring potential solutions or innovations. Similar to the lectures, these sessions are interactive and involve a lot of group work. You’ll evaluate what businesses did well and what they could have done better.

A Typical Day in the Course

When I was at Summer School, seminars took place before the lectures, with students split into two groups. Group 1 was at 10:00 - 11:30 and group 2: 11:30 - 12:00. After the seminar, we’d have a break until 14:00, where students usually got together to grab lunch around campus or work on their presentations and assignments. The lectures started at 14:00 and run until 17:00. After your day on campus, you’ll be free to study or explore London – in my time at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳, students typically gathered at one of the two pubs on ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳’s campus to chat about their day, classes, lectures and other academic topics. This is a great way to socialise - not just with people from your course, but also with students from other programmes. For both the seminars and lectures, you’ll receive reading materials to review before the next day. Whether you study in the morning or evening is up to you - personally, I preferred arriving to campus early to prepare for the day ahead.

Teaching

Dr. Nadia Milington is the lead professor for this course. She is incredibly supportive and ensures that the learning experience is both smooth and enjoyable. With a strong background in consulting and proposing innovative solutions for large global businesses, she brings real-world expertise to the classroom. Her lectures are highly interactive, focusing on debates, discussions, and hands-on activities rather than traditional teaching methods. This makes the lectures go really quickly and was also engaging.

Course Intensity

This is a level 100 course, meaning it’s relatively easy compared to other ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Summer School courses of a 200 or 300 level. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a walk in the park. When I took the course, part of my grade came from a group presentation, where we developed an innovative solution to a problem in London. You will likely receive a variety of different options from the lecturer and your group will have to choose one to present on. The rest of my grade was based on an exam at the end of the three weeks.

Throughout the three weeks of studying this course, you’ll cover a large volume of material, so regular revision is essential. In my experience, if you review the content and your notes consistently, and engage with the lectures and seminar, you will receive a good grade. Overall, this course is highly rewarding and offers valuable insights into consulting and innovation. If you’re interested in these fields, this is the perfect place to start.

Conclusion

Overall the course is something unforgettable – I believe it is one of the best courses offered by Summer School. I will definitely be attending Summer School again in 2025 after such a positive experience, so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

This blog was written by one of our 2024 Student Ambassadors, who are here to share their stories and help you understand the summer school experience at ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳.