Queen Mary academics highly commended at the British Academy of Management (BAM) awards 2023

The British Academy of Management made a series of awards during their 37th annual conference at the University of Sussex, to celebrate outstanding contributions made by business and management scholars, not just through their research but also the important contributions to society they have made. 

Dr Patrick McGurk and Dr Xue Zhou were highly commended for their project titled ‘Transforming BSc Business Management for Inclusion through Authentic Learning and Peer-Led Teaching and Learning’. The project aimed to address inequalities in student outcomes of the School of Business and Management, BSc Business Management program.

Dr McGurk and Dr Zhou, working with colleagues from across the School, led a three-year curriculum redesign, focused on authentic learning, peer learning and inclusivity. Key changes included mission-aligned learning outcomes, team-based modules, skill development initiatives and peer-led teaching. The goal was to empower all students, regardless of their backgrounds or prior qualifications, and promote skills development while fostering a sense of belonging.

Commenting on the commendation, Dr McGurk said: "This project has been a testament to our dedication to inclusive education and our commitment to addressing structural inequalities in student outcomes. It has been a journey marked by innovation, teamwork, and unwavering dedication. We are very honoured and grateful for the commendation at the BAM awards”.

Dr Zhou added: “Together we've achieved profound impact - through peer-led team learning, the performance of students who originally entered the University with BTEC qualifications rose by an outstanding 16.7%. This just begins to demonstrate the power of partnership and evidence-based pedagogies to advance equity. Fuelled by our progress, we'll continue working tirelessly to help all students gain the skills, confidence and community to excel. This recognition affirms we're on the right path. Guided by inclusivity, our journey continues.”

Earlier this month there was more to celebrate for Dr Xue Zhou and Dr Patrick McGurk, as the British Academy of Management (BAM) awarded a partnership grant to the academics to undertake their new research project entitled ‘An investigation of the effectiveness of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) in reducing the attainment gap in business analytics study’. The project will be conducted during 2023/24 and is scheduled to take 12months.

The British Academy of Management (BAM) is the leading authority on the academic field of management in the UK, supporting and representing the community of scholars and engaging with international peers. It has over 2000 members, from the UK and around the globe, who include management researchers, practitioners and doctoral students.