Students at Liverpool Business School are taking advantage of virtual reality technology to learn high-pressure management techniques.
High-stakes conversations relating to redundancies, conflict resolution, union negotiations and employee performance are being simulated as part of degree courses in Human Resource Management.
“These are precisely the situations people find most stressful - and least rehearsed, explained Dr Madeleine Pickles, Associate Professor in Organisational Transformation and Teaching Innovation. “That’s why it’s so important to prepare people who will be graduating into professional roles where such negotiating skills are vital.
“Often, it’s not only people’s jobs on the line in these situations but also the reputation of the organisation, so you have to get it right.”
Virtual conflicts
Maddy is teaching with a software package called Bodyswaps which works by placing students into realistic, AI-driven simulations where they must speak out loud and respond in real time to virtual characters.
AI analyses how they communicate, not just what they say—picking up on tone, clarity, confidence, empathy, and structure. Students then “swap perspectives” and see themselves from the other side of the interaction, which is “particularly powerful for developing self-awareness” says the Professor.
Crucially, the simulations moves learning from abstract discussion to applied decision-making, that’s to say, students no longer just talk about negotiation, conflict, or ethics—they practise them under pressure.
Student feedback has been outstanding, and the module has achieved a 100% satisfaction rate with students feeling “more confident and articulate” in professional conversations.
The use of AI in learning is a key priority in higher education and the strength of Maddie’s work has already earned her recognition in the sector.
Academy of Management Award
Her use of Bodyswaps with students on the MA Strategic People Management course was impressive enough to win the Academy of Management's Innovative Teaching Award, and also a Teaching and Education Prize from the University Forum for Human Resource Development.
Dr Adam Shore, Director of Liverpool Business School, congratulated Maddy and said such innovation was in the DNA of the school.
“At Liverpool Business School, we are committed to shaping a better future through real-world application, technology innovation, and creative approaches that challenge conventional thinking.
“This initiative is a prime example of why we were named Times Higher Education Business School of the Year, for our dedication to preparing students for societal change.”
