About the project
business@school is an initiative of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). Since its launch in 1998, business@school has been bringing the topic of business to schools in a clear and appealing way, with students aged 15 to 19 at over 80 secondary schools in Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Singapore participating every year.
Students learn about business in three phases
The business@school project covers one school year and is divided into three phases:
 | Phase I: Analysis of a publicly listed company |
| Phase II: Analysis of a medium-sized or small company |
| Phase III: Development of a business concept and business plan |
Each project phase takes two to three months and ends with a presentation. The student teams present their business concepts at final competitions on local (individual school), regional, and national levels. Juries of experts award prizes for the best concepts.
Volunteers from the business world bring business to life at schools
| BCG consultants and volunteers from over 20 other participating companies "adopt" schools and serve as coaches for the duration of the project. |
| As experts from the business world, they provide students with real-life knowledge and expertise. |
| Students meet with their coaches up to seven times per school year—usually on-site at school. The coaches also support students and teachers by telephone and e-mail. |
Participating students work together in teams
| Students aged 15 to 19 at senior high schools and secondary schools are eligible to participate. |
| Each school must have or select at least 15 students to participate, or apply to participate jointly with another nearby school. |
| Each school must have at least three participating teams of five to seven team members. |
The project as part of the school day
The project can be conducted during class time or after school.
Students acquire business knowledge and key skills
business@school allows students to
| develop their interest in business topics, |
| experience and get an understanding of the realities at large, medium-sized, or small businesses first-hand, |
| learn to think like entrepreneurs, |
| improve their presentation skills and self-confidence, |
| practice results-oriented teamwork, |
| have fun with business. |
Dedicated teachers as project leaders
| At each school, one teacher—supported by other teachers—acts as project leader. |
| The project leader teacher serves as a liaison between the school, the outside coaches, and the business@school office. |
| Teachers do not need to have any business education or training for business@school. What's important is that they are enthusiastic, interested in business topics, and open to project work. |
| Participating students and teachers meet at least once per week to plan project work and discuss open issues. |
Support for teachers and coaches
| business@school has a project platform on the Internet where participants can access all relevant materials (i.e., the content of the three phases and business basics, plus tips for effective teamwork, time management, etc.). |
| The business@school project office provides additional support throughout the school year. |
| Regional introductory workshops held before summer break with experienced teachers and coaches provide an introduction to the project for teachers. |
Time and effort that pay off
business@school means more work for all participants (students, teachers, and coaches). Participating students and teachers should plan on two hours per week, and even more in the run-up to presentations. Time management and teamwork are two important factors for a successful project and effective collaboration.
Teachers may submit applications
Are you interested? Online applications may be submitted by a teacher with at least 15 interested students from 1 November through 1 March for the following school year (for schools in Austria, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland; 1 December for schools in Singapore). Due to the large number of applications, we regret that not all applicants can participate.
Questions?
Please send us an e-mail with your questions, and be sure to include the name of your school. We'll be happy to help!
Contact information