Consulting Project

Louvain-La-Neuve

Take part to this enriching collaborative experience with our Master 1 students in Management at UCLouvain and develop your own project and employer branding.

WHAT?

The Consulting Project concept is

  • the opportunity for you, as a company, to:
    • collaborate with students to push your own projects (visibility, talent acquisition and employer branding)
    • create value by bringing a fresh perspective from a younger generation of students to your vision (working with a group of insightful and analytical students with various backgrounds and interest in management)
    • face the multiple current ESG challenges to build the world of tomorrow and integrate those challenges in your processes.

 

  • the opportunity for LSM students to:
    • be confronted with the reality of the field (professional world and constraints) from their first year of the Master's programme
    • learn the basics of project & team management
    • practice their problem-solving, hard and soft skills
    • focus on real business cases right at the start of their masters

In short, a real WIN WIN operation for both parties.

 

Is your company looking to enter a new market and initiate a new marketing strategy?

Are you looking to implement a more sustainable form of organization? …

Our students (Master 1 in Management) can help you reach those objectives.


 

FOR WHOM / WHICH PROJECTS?

All companies and organizations of all sizes and all sectors (from the start up and the SME to the large-scale organization) are invited to submit their specific projects (managerial question) to the LSM.

If you are a public institution, a nonprofit (social, cultural) structure, a school or an NGO, the consulting project is also open to you.

The projects cover a large range of thematics such as:

  • strategic or operational organization (management, supply chain)
  • finance
  • HR
  • marketing
  • but also digitalization, innovation or internationalization
The selection of projects mostly focuses on projects related to SUSTAINABILITY and ESG aspects (with environmental and/or societal impact). 

We are searching 50 impactful projects per academic year (Q1 from September to December). Leave us your contact details and a short description of your project via the on line registration form.

The call for projects occurs each year from March/April to June (final selection of the projects around 15 June). 

 

 

 

 

 

TIMING of the call for projects

  • Call for projects: April to June
  • Selection of the projects: by the end of June (confirmation sent by email) respecting a large diversity and equity of structures, sectors and themes
  • Contact with the coach in charge of supervising the group of students to whom your project will be assigned (define the objective, the deliverables, specify the context and the limits as well as the modalities of operation for the follow-up of the project): after mid-August to mid-September
  • Kick off with the students (1st contact): around 1st October
  • Note also that a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is foreseen.

 

HOW does it work concretely?

STEP 1. Directly at the beginning of the academic year (mid-September), students start the theoretical part of the Consulting project course to acquire the basics of project management (+ written exam on this part). Students will also benefit from a specific coaching in Business reporting & Presentation skills in English to prepare their presentations to the company.

STEP 2. By end od September, groups of 4 to 6 students are RANDOMLY formed and attached to a specific project. A KICK OFF meeting (1st contact) with the company follows this allocation around October, 1st.

STEP 3. Between October and December (12 weeks), the teams of students work on the projects under the supervision of a LSM coach and a teaching assistant to provide tailor-made recommendations to the company. Regular contacts with the company (weekly ideally) represent a serious factor of success.

The consulting mission is mainly executed remotely and does not strictly require the company to host the groups (but one visit on site is a real plus).

STEP 4. The students make two presentations to the company, one in early November and one end December to share their final recommendations. They will be evaluated on this part as is on their presentation skills.

 

Experienced professional and academic coaches to facilitate the process

The whole process is facilitated by coaches with a strong background in consulting, academia or banking, who will supervise, help and support the students in finding solutions and recommendations to the problem at hand. The team of coaches is supported by a group of teaching assistants.

 

 

What do we expect from you in this collaboration with our students?

Even if the supervision of the project is quite limited for the company, the contribution of the company stands central for the success of the team work and the project.

Some factors for success:

  • Clearly define the project (consulting mission) and its limits and constraints taking into account the academic context and the profile of the students (begin Master 1)
  • Set up appointments for presentations at the outset
  • Support the students with the provision of informations and directions regarding the output of the project
  • Maintain regular follow up contacts with the students and the coach.

 

Interested? Submit already your project for the next 2024-25 academic year before mid-June 2024. We are waiting for 50 impactful projects (be among the first to join the experience). Leave us your contact details and a short description of your project via the registration form.


 

 

 

 

 

 

Taking part in the Consulting project by proposing a project for a group of students is completely free.

To optimize your employer branding, you have the option to contribute to our Ambassador packs. You will benefit then from extended visibility to all our Master 1 in Management Sciences students involved in this mandatory course, i.e. between 280 and 300 students, as well as advantageous conditions on our job fairs.

Interested? Contact us at lsm-consulting-project@uclouvain.be

 

A look back at the previous pilot edition 2022-23

Some names and figures:

  • A large team: 270 students – 50 projects/companies – 7 coaches – 5 English teachers – 4 assistants & 2 coordinators
  • 73% global average company level of satisfaction
  • Some of our Consulting project Company Ambassadors 2022-23

 

 

Let’s co-create to innovate all together!

 

Need to contact us: lsm-consulting-project@uclouvain.be

The LSM is recognized as a leading management faculty in Belgium (and in Europe) in developing responsible, competent and innovative entrepreneurial and ethic leaders.

A large panel of companies are eager to hire its students in this time of talent war. Do not hesitate to sollicitate them (for free) for your specific business cases.