Co-Creating Solutions to Societal and Civic Challenges Through Applied, Responsible Learning

Preparing students to tackle complex societal, technological, and economic challenges requires learning beyond traditional classroom approaches and engagement with real-world complexity. At the same time, SMEs, micro-businesses and civic organisations often lack the capacity to explore innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable practices independently.

Salford Business School expanded applied, co-created learning across programmes, enabling students to work with SMEs and micro-businesses on live briefs, internships and real-world challenges aligned to organisational priorities. Intensive formats, including AI Bootcamps, developed skills in data storytelling, prompt engineering and AI risk awareness, alongside structured reflection on ethical and responsible implementation.

Environmental responsibility was embedded through Carbon Literacy training across postgraduate provision, linking knowledge to behavioural and organisational change. During Global Entrepreneurship Week, a co-creative hackathon with Salford City Council brought together students, public-sector partners, entrepreneurs and community stakeholders to collaboratively address place-based challenges across Greater Manchester.

These approaches generated co-designed solutions and applied recommendations, with students engaging directly and iteratively with businesses, policy teams, and community organisations.

Students developed confidence, ethical awareness and capability in applying business, digital and sustainability skills in complex, real-world contexts. Learning shifted from problem analysis to responsible action.

Partners benefited from fresh perspectives, additional capacity and actionable insights, strengthening local economic resilience, digital capability, and social value creation across the regional ecosystem.

"Working alongside Salford City Council, local entrepreneurs and fellow students showed me how powerful co-creation can be. It made clear that business skills can directly support communities and inclusive economic growth." UG Accounting and Finance Student, Salford Business School