Excelia Business School brings risk focused water simulation to students

The immersive learning experience places Bachelor in Business students in a simulated water management market to analyse risks, make decisions under pressure, and address sustainability and governance challenges.

Excelia Business School has introduced the Blue Market Challenge, an immersive learning experience designed to train students to identify risks and make decisions in complex environments.
Developed for Year 3 students in the Bachelor in Business programme, the simulation places participants in a future scenario where water management is regionalised and privatised. Students take on the role of consultants for a company in the water sector, analysing markets, identifying early signals, and making strategic decisions under pressure.
The experience is structured to help students understand how environmental, economic, social, and political factors influence business decisions. Participants must evaluate trade offs, manage uncertainty, and consider issues such as sustainability, social acceptability, and reputation.

The programme is divided into three stages: observation, analysis, and decision making. Students begin with an introductory session, followed by an immersive exercise where they analyse real time scenarios using tools such as PESTEL and SWOT. The exercise concludes with participants presenting and defending their decisions, including crisis preparation and communication strategies.
Ludivine Destoumieux, Faculty member at Excelia Business School, said, “Through the Blue Market Challenge, we wanted to put students in a situation where they learn to spot weak signals, identify risks, and make decisions without possessing all the facts. Experience consistently shows that a thorough marketing analysis provides invaluable insights into market dynamics and helps prevent crises.”
Caroline O’Neill, Head of Digital Learning and Innovation at Excelia, said the initiative combines academic expertise with technology to create realistic simulations with clear educational objectives.

The Blue Market Challenge is part of Excelia’s broader strategy to expand immersive learning experiences that focus on real world problem solving. It is also aligned with the Blue Education Experience, an initiative aimed at helping students understand ecological and social transitions related to water resources.
The programme was first launched on the Tours campus and later extended to La Rochelle, with a focus on developing decision making, analytical thinking, and awareness of sustainability challenges among students.
Excelia said the initiative is designed to prepare students to navigate uncertain environments and contribute to responsible decision making in future business contexts.

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