We are very excited to share that Experiential Academy has been nominated for the Nurturing Employability Award at the 2026 QS Reimagine Education Awards.
QS is a global higher education expert. They are a world-respected institution amongst students, educators and businesses, best known for their World University Rankings.
We competed against 2,200 candidates, including institutions and businesses, across the world and were shortlisted for the award and conference. It is a great achievement to have been recognised for our exceptional educational innovation and impact by such a globally valued organisation.
The global recognition for our work is proof that we are on the right track to resolve the complex challenge of management graduates’ employment.
Our Story
Experiential Academy (XPA) was created to provide a solution to the lack of degree-related professional experience that students often face. In such a competitive job market, having professional experience and proof are crucial to get ahead. However, we recognise that higher learning institutions do not always have the resources to provide these opportunities. This leaves many graduates in a difficult position when trying to start their careers.
We complement higher education by offering industry experience that universities cannot always provide at a large scale. XPA’s innovative programme even offers the possibility of completing a project as part of a degree. Providing business-led experience to students is costly and resource-intensive for universities. This leads to limited options for practical professional projects which are often centred around larger companies, broad group projects or one-off extracurricular activities. These models can improve learning, but they do not always create equitable value exchange, scalable industry access, or clear evidence of individual student capability.
Experiential Academy is designed around inclusive scale, individual proof-of-work and practical business value. XPA is deliberately built for academic integration and industry relevance. The innovation is therefore not only technological. It is a new operating model for employability: one that provides experience and network for students and de-risks hiring for employers through structured 1:1 value creation, making experiential learning more accessible, measurable and aligned with real organisational needs.
Management Coursework and Nurturing Employability
XPA’s platform allows universities to connect students with industry, providing with real equitable experience without the significant financial and operational burden associated with this process, such as staff and infrastructure. The programme’s adaptable approach allows for projects that have academic and practical value, which replace some university coursework, integrating professional experience with academic learning.
This coursework integration provides institutions with a path to produce more well-rounded and experienced graduates, leaving them with the best chance to succeed in future.
If you are a Higher Learning Institution and want to learn more about how you can use our platform to adapt your courses, then please fill in the form below.