Teaching real-life OR to MSc students

Abstract

The nature of the ‘messiness’ of the real projects in which we are involved determines how our OR practice proceeds. In order to train the future generation of Operational Researchers, we need to prepare them with the skills to deal with this messiness. The teachers themselves firstly must have these skills and have fresh experience of using them. This paper discusses the synergies to be experienced between teaching, consulting, research and in-company training. These abilities then need to be passed on to the students. Technique training provides an important tool-kit but the key skills have to be learned through guided experiential learning, with the learning loop closed by guided reflection (fostered and aided by mentors).