Where Mind,
Meets Hand

Action Learning is an innovative approach that accelerates learning through hands-on practice. By working on challenges identified by companies in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, with guidance from ASB faculty and business coaches, you will develop solutions for challenges within the host organization.

— EXPOSURE OF ACTION LEARNING FOR THE MBA PROGRAM

What Action Learning exposures can you look forward to?

Drawing from MIT’s motto “mind and hand” (mens et manus), we believe the most impactful learning occurs when theory is actively applied, emphasizing real-world practice and application as the cornerstone of effective education.

Across these diverse experiences, students can engage with global multinational corporations, small and medium enterprises, family-run businesses, startups, as well as non-profits and public sector organizations. Expert guidance from faculty and business coaches ensures advisory and coaching aimed at maximizing leadership growth and business exposure across various industries and functions.

These opportunities will take place across Malaysia, Southeast Asia, and beyond, depending on a matching process and available opportunities at the time.

In A Class

Students participate in Action Learning Practicums as a cohort. Practicums are compressed one-week-long problem-solving experiential immersions that take place onsite in industry-specific environments.

Student teams deep dive into challenges across various parts of the business, including the supply chain and operations. Previous practicums have included optimizing factory operations for a leading airline manufacturing factory and increasing the sustainability of oil palm operations for small-holder farmers. Additionally, students have the opportunity to go on an optional industry trek in Asia or the emerging world.

In A Team

In collaboration with host companies across Asia, student teams dedicate approximately 3 weeks aiming to understand key business challenges and providing practical business solutions.

These projects entail travel to the host company’s location in Southeast Asia for fieldwork to observe processes, engage with project stakeholders, and gather data for in-depth analysis.

As An Individual

ASB’s Action Learning Summer Program (ALSP) experience is a four-to-ten-week engagement with either an organization, ASB faculty, or within an entrepreneurship pathway.

Students are encouraged to consider which pathway best serves their post-MBA ambitions and tailor their efforts to secure their ALSP accordingly.

Action Learning At ASB : At A Glance

Projects

Hosts

Countries

— ACTION LEARNING PEDAGOGY

The Action Learning Pedagogy

As part of the MBA journey, ASB students navigate between classroom sessions immersed in the latest theoretical tools and frameworks taught by faculty from ASB and MIT Sloan. Action Learning enmeshes this knowledge with practical on-site experiences in diverse industry settings across Asia.

Working collaboratively in diverse teams or individually, students receive supervision from our esteemed faculty and experienced business coaches.

The Action Learning pedagogy is an iterative process that allows students to perfect and enhance their business and collaboration skills within the diverse and rapidly evolving Asian business landscape in multinationals, family businesses and conglomerates, SMEs, not-for-profit organizations, and startups.

Embark on Cutting-Edge Business Challenges with Action Learning

For the past decade, ASB has collaborated with some of the world’s leading organizations, assisting them in formulating strategies, designing, developing, launching, and fostering the growth of their digitally-enabled brands and products.

Three Immersive Action Learning Experiences

Full Time MBA Students get to embark on 3 different experiences with various companies in Malaysia and South East Asia.

View the Full Time MBA Program

Multiple Experiential Learning Opportunities

Executive MBA students immerse in two Practicums (one in Malaysia and one international) to tackle the host organisation’s key challenges and engage in Leaders In Action to learn from C-level leaders throughout the region.

View Executive MBA (EMBA) Program

Students & Alumni Testimonials

Action Learning projects at ASB taught me the order of how you learn is key. My previous experience has always been to learn a particular subject in depth and then gain experience. The Action Learning model at ASB allows you to test out different areas and validate what you want to learn more of. This helped me successfully pivot in my career. I joined ASB, not knowing what I wanted to pursue. The AL experiences clarified that I wanted work in human capital.

Nodira Bobojonova Consultant People Advisory Services, EY, USA

My Action Learning experiences helped me validate that I am genuinely interested to work in Sustainability and L&D because of the genuine excitement about the area. I want to help a company with a conscience make money.

Wan Xin Low Program Manager, Leadership Development, Agoda, Malaysia

Where Mind, Meets Hand