Cardiff Business School partners with Queen's Business School for immersive MSc HRM learning experience
25 March 2025
Students from Cardiff Business School’s MSc Human Resource Management (HRM) programme recently embarked on an enriching four-day residential trip to Belfast, strengthening their understanding of work and employment in devolved contexts.
Held from 4-7 March 2025, this year’s trip marked an exciting new collaboration with Queen’s Business School. Developed by the respective MSc HRM Programme Directors Dr Ruth Reaney (Queen’s Business School) and Dr Toma Pustelnikovaite (Cardiff Business School), the collaboration brought together students, academics, and industry professionals for an immersive learning experience.
Exploring regional differences
Over two days at Queen’s University Belfast, students explored how regional differences shape labour markets, employment policies, and workers’ rights. Expert speakers, including Professor Jean Jenkins (Cardiff Business School) and Dr Anne Devlin (Economic and Social Research Institute, Ireland), provided valuable insights into the social, economic and legislative factors influencing jobs in Wales and Northern Ireland.
Through interactive group discussions, students analysed case studies on employment challenges in devolved nations and debated how HR managers can adapt to different contexts.
“The residential trip is one of the highlights of our MSc HRM programme. It gives students a chance to get to know each other, apply their learning to real-world contexts through a range of hands-on exercises, and develop their readiness for HR careers."
Dr Toma Pustelnikovaite added: "This year, we were thrilled to collaborate with Queen’s Business School and offer students a unique opportunity to explore how context shapes work and employment while building lasting relationships with fellow HRM students, academics and industry professionals in Belfast.”
Developing key HR skills
The trip wasn’t just about theory, it was a hands-on experience designed to strengthen key HR competencies for students’ future careers.
A highlight was the 'Profile of a Future HR Manager' activity, where teams created presentations on the evolving role of HR, receiving expert feedback from industry professionals.
Students also took part in an engaging negotiation and persuasion exercise led by Professor Niall Cullinane (Queen’s Business School) and Professor Deborah Hann (Cardiff Business School), learning practical techniques to handle workplace conflicts and complex discussions.
Networking and cultural exchange
Social activities, including informal networking with Queen’s University students and exploring Belfast’s rich history, added to the experience. Students particularly enjoyed learning about the Northern Ireland’s cultural and political landscape and its lasting impact on employment.
The trip broadened students’ perspectives and enhanced their professional networks. As one student reflected: “I really enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate and network with academics and fellow students at Queen’s University.”
Another student highlighted the personal connections made: “Getting to make memories with my coursemates and experiencing Belfast’s culture was a highlight.”
Find out more about our MSc in Human Resource Management.
