Business Management students showcase artefacts created in Fabrication Laboratory exploring contemporary business themes

Westminster Business School (WBS) students from the Business Management BA Honours and Business Management (Marketing) BA Honours students taking leadership modules were challenged to create an art or design-based artefact for an assessment. The module team led by Naseem Joban, Senior Lecturer and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at the School of Management and Marketing, and Dr Anastasia Alexeeva, Lecturer in Management, collaborated with the Fabrication Lab, which is led by Dr David Scott, Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the School of Architecture and Cities.

The Fabrication Lab opened in 2013 and has grown to a multi-disciplinary team of 30 members offering access to Computer Numerical Control routers, 3D printing, film/TV production, testing and much more. Students were able to choose workshops for collage, mask-making, ceramics, 3D printing, Virtual Reality and film production, but they could also explore other media, by arrangement with the Fabrication Lab.

This assessment required students to create a physical artefact that explores one of three contemporary business themes. These were diversity and inclusion (identity), sustainability or well-being, also reflecting the University’s strategic priorities in Being Westminster 2022-29. The artefact served as a tangible representation of the student’s understanding of the chosen theme and its implications for the new leadership approach for our times. In addition to creating a physical artefact, students were asked to produce a narrative around it, critically discussing the meaning and intent behind the artefact and its connection to the chosen theme. Through this experiential learning, students gained vital competencies which are only now emerging in the field of business, management and marketing, thereby giving them a competitive edge in the marketplace.

The portfolio consisted of four elements, which were the artefact, the artefact’s summary sheet, engagement-with-learning sheets and a short reflection analysing relevance to employability.

Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Westminster Professor Peter Bonfield said: “Promoting creative thinking and unlocking inherent talent in our University of Westminster students through making art are often delivered through our Fabrication Lab facilities and team. The quality of work is so high. Businesses need great creative thinking in a very changing world, and this innovate approach will help bring this talent to our business students alongside all their other learning endeavours to help them become great employees of businesses around the world, underpinned by our values of ethics, inclusion and sustainable development.”

This Showcase directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education and 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

Find out more about the Business and Management courses at the University.