Experiential learning is the process of learning through direct experience rather than observation alone.

In business education, that often means working on real-world projects, collaborating with companies, and navigating situations where the outcome is not fully defined in advance.

Rather than simply studying business concepts in a classroom, students are asked to apply them in live environments where communication, culture, and uncertainty all shape decision-making.

That shift from theory to practice is what makes experiential learning so impactful.

How Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs Create Real Learning

Many faculty-led study abroad programs include company visits, guest speakers, and cultural activities.

The Tepper School’s approach goes further by placing students directly into real business challenges with international companies.

Students begin working on projects before they travel, but once they arrive in-country, their understanding often changes quickly.

“What students think they understand remotely often changes once they’re on the ground,” Hahl explains. “Context changes everything.”

Students quickly realize that business decisions are shaped not only by analysis, but also by communication styles, cultural expectations, and human dynamics.

Why Ambiguity Matters in Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is intentionally less structured than traditional coursework.

“The experience itself is the rigor,” Hahl says.

Students are expected to define problems, align stakeholders, and make decisions without complete information. Instead of being handed clear answers, they learn how to adapt as situations evolve.

“Students often want clarity immediately,” he explains. “But leadership often requires moving forward before everything is fully defined.”

That experience helps students develop practical leadership skills that are difficult to replicate inside a traditional classroom.

The Value of a Global Student Travel Experience

A global student travel experience also changes how students understand international business challenges.

Conversations around supply chains, energy, or geopolitical instability become more tangible when students see firsthand how companies and communities are affected in different regions of the world.

“One thing students realize quickly is that uncertainty looks different depending on where you are in the world,” Hahl explains.

These experiences help students build cross-cultural communication skills, adaptability, and a broader understanding of how business operates globally.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Some of the most valuable learning happens outside formal sessions, where the students are able to connect on a deeper level. Team discussions, conversations after company visits, and reflections from other students all give students a taste of what to expect in the real world.

“We’re not there simply to lecture,” says Hahl. “A lot of the learning comes from helping students process what they’re experiencing in real time.”

Faculty in study abroad programs often act less as instructors and more as guides, helping students connect their real-time experiences to the broader business and leadership concepts explored at the Tepper School.

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‍André Siffert, Territory Manager, Austral Education Group says that the programs create moments that can’t be replicated in the classroom. “The learning becomes much more immediate because they’re actively navigating real environments, real conversations, and real challenges together.”

Together, those experiences create a learning environment that extends far beyond the classroom itself.

More Than a Student Travel Program

The most effective travel programs change the perspective of the student, making them incorporate lessons learned long after they return home. This isn’t because they got to experience a new culture, but more that they learned how to collaborate with perspectives other than their own. The confidence gained by navigating uncertain environments and situations with their peers, pushes them towards the next step in leadership.

“That’s difficult to teach in a traditional classroom alone,” Hahl reflects. “At some point, students have to experience it for themselves.”

When designed intentionally, experiential learning becomes more than an academic exercise. It becomes a bridge between studying business and learning how to operate within it.