Experiential learning for societal impact

Purpose This paper examines how business schools can respond to calls to increase their impact by effectively leveraging experiential learning approaches that address complex societal issues. It develops a comprehensive framework that categorizes student roles in experiential learning for societal impact (ELSI). Design/methodology/approach The paper synthesizes multiple theoretical frameworks of societal impact competencies and analyzes various experiential learning modalities in business education. It presents a typography organizing experiential learning activities along two dimensions: classroom-based versus community-based experiences and students as investments versus agents of change. Findings The analysis reveals three distinct roles students play in ELSI: as investments in future impact, as current agents of change and as beneficiaries of societal impact initiatives. The paper demonstrates how different experiential learning modalities serve these roles and how they contribute to developing crucial competencies for addressing complex societal challenges. Practical implications The paper provides business educators with an actionable framework for designing and implementing experiential learning activities that foster societal impact competencies. The typography of learning activities offers practical guidance for curriculum development and program design across different institutional contexts. Social implications The framework addresses how business education can contribute to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals through experiential learning while also highlighting the potential for business education to reduce inequalities and create pathways out of poverty for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the paper presents an original conceptual framework that integrates multiple theoretical perspectives on societal impact education and provides a practical typology for implementing experiential learning initiatives in business schools. This integration of theory and practice advances understanding of how to effectively prepare students for making meaningful societal contributions.