Experiencing Strategy, Collaboration and Innovation Beyond the Classroom at AKSOB
Through international collaboration and immersive project design, students are learning to apply management theory to real-world challenges with confidence and purpose.
For LAU’s Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) Assistant Professor of Management Samar Aad, innovative teaching begins with experience. Across the strategic planning and project management courses at AKSOB, Dr. Aad has designed learning initiatives that immerse students in authentic challenges, requiring them to collaborate across cultures, navigate uncertainty and translate theory into practice.
In her strategic planning course, Dr. Aad introduced a virtual exchange project that connected LAU students with peers from Haute École Condorcet Hainaut–Charleroi in Belgium. Facilitated through LAU’s International Services and Programs Office, the collaboration centered on the Lebanese enterprise, Les Vignes de Marje.
“I always search for innovative teaching,” said Dr. Aad. “I wanted students to experience strategy, not just learn about it. This project pushed them to collaborate across cultures, deal with ambiguity and apply what we learned in class to real-world situations.”
The multicultural teams developed comprehensive strategic plans that assessed the feasibility of introducing the winery’s products into the Belgian market. Their work included market and industry analyses, SWOT diagnostics, expansion scenarios, branding and storytelling recommendations and feasibility assessments.
Some teams ultimately argued against market entry, demonstrating that critical judgment, not consensus, was the true learning objective. One group extended the project further by developing a three-dimensional prototype of redesigned wine packaging using LAU’s Creative Space, translating strategic intent into tangible form.
Beyond technical outputs, the project had a profound impact on student confidence and global mindset. Early challenges—such as coordinating meeting times and overcoming initial awkwardness during virtual sessions—gradually gave way to effective communication and mutual trust. Many students later reflected that the experience reshaped how they viewed international collaboration and their own capabilities.
“This virtual exchange went far beyond completing a project; it became an enriching intercultural journey that expanded my worldview, elevated my teamwork abilities and highlighted the incredible impact that emerges when diverse academic backgrounds come together to spark shared insight and value,” said Mira El Bcherawi, a senior accounting student.
Similarly, Cyrella Hachem, an international business senior, found the virtual exchange to be “a cross-cultural learning experience that broadened my global perspective, strengthened my collaborative skills and proved how meaningful knowledge becomes more effective when different academic and cultural contexts meet to create shared value.”
The partner institution also affirmed the project’s success. In feedback following the collaboration, Dr. Alexandre Mabille of Haute École Condorcet described working with LAU students as “uplifting and inspiring,” praising their professionalism, curiosity and willingness to tackle challenges collaboratively.
Dr. Aad extended this experiential philosophy into her project management course through the Shark at LAU initiative, drawing on familiar entrepreneurial narratives and grounding them in sustainability and innovation. Students were tasked with identifying real needs and developing viable project proposals from concept to execution under realistic constraints. One standout outcome, a Sustainable Outdoor Gym, met the demand for accessible wellness spaces on campus while integrating environmental considerations into its design.
With support from the Creative Space team, students brought the concept to life through a virtual reality model that allowed viewers to experience the facility’s layout, equipment placement and flow. Although immersive technology was initially unfamiliar to many business students, structured guidance helped them move from hesitation to confidence, using VR as a powerful tool to test feasibility and communicate ideas beyond physical limitations.
“What stays with me is watching students believe in themselves,” Dr. Aad reflected. “Seeing them celebrate what they created is the real success.”
By engaging students in real projects, international collaboration and technology-enabled problem-solving, this initiative aligns with AKSOB’s strategic teaching priorities and AACSB standards for experiential learning. It demonstrates how innovation can serve as a transformative force, preparing graduates to think critically, adapt confidently, and lead with purpose in an increasingly complex world.