Business challenges meet student innovation

What types of organisations can take part in the programme? 

We don’t have a typical business that participates in the consultancy programme. Any organisation of any size and from any sector can take part in the consultancy programme. If you have a business challenge, project or initiative that would benefit from fresh insight and support, our students may be able to help. We welcome charities, community and third‑sector organisations, SMEs, start-ups and large companies alike. As long as we believe the project is suitable for our students, we’re open to working with you. While we prioritise organisations in West Yorkshire to make site visits easier, we now have a University campus in London, so we are open to working with organisations from the south too. All you need is a defined project and a small amount of time to guide your student team.

 

What kind of projects have organisations previously undertaken through the programme? 

The range of projects we receive from organisations are so vast, it’s easier to say we accept any business-related project. We’ve had: 

How does the programme ensure confidentiality and professionalism when working with businesses? 

Professionalism and confidentiality are absolutely central to how the programme works. Before students are matched with a client, they complete a consultancy skills module that introduces them to the principles of professional consulting, project management, and ethical working. As part of this, they’re taught about GDPR, responsible data handling, and why confidentiality is essential when working with real businesses. 

When a project involves sensitive information, some student teams are also asked to sign a client-provided NDA. This gives organisations full confidence that any data shared will be treated with the same care and discretion as it would be within their own team. 

Throughout the project, the Stakeholder Engagement team stays closely involved, supporting both the client and the students. This ongoing communication helps ensure everything runs smoothly, professionally, and in line with the expectations set at the start. 

How flexible is the programme in terms of adapting to different business needs and challenges? 

The programme is designed to be flexible, and we work closely with each organisation to make sure the project fits their needs. Once a project is submitted, we set up a meeting between the client and the course leader. This is a chance to talk through the brief in more detail, explore what you’re hoping to achieve, and check that the project is a good match for our students’ skills. 

After that conversation, the brief is finalised and ready for team allocation. If anything changes between the approval stage and the project start date—which can happen in any organisation—there’s room to adapt during the initial consultation period between the students and the client. 

Projects run over several weeks, so once students begin, it’s important to keep the final deadline in mind. Clients are welcome to guide students in the direction they’d like to see, as long as the core brief remains the same. We know priorities shift, and we’ve built the programme to accommodate that while still giving students a clear and meaningful challenge to work on. 

 

What feedback have past businesses given about their experience with the programme? 

Over the last two years in my role, I’ve seen an incredible amount of positive feedback from the businesses we’ve worked with. Many of these success stories are shared on our Student Consultancy Projects webpage and across our social media, and they really highlight the impact the students make. 

One piece of feedback that has always stood out to me came from Nicole at Powersheds. She said that investing just two days of her time resulted in enough ideas and recommendations to help shape the company’s strategy for the next few years. For me, that really captures the value of the programme. 

Our students essentially act as an extension of your team, working with you at no cost over several weeks or months. They bring fresh perspectives, research-driven insights, and creative solutions that can help your organisation grow, innovate, and better understand its market.