Opinion Learning & Teaching

Reassessing the essay: Relevance, realism, and resilience in the age of AI

Given how much HE is changing with more focus on vocational relevance, widening participation, and technological disruption, is the traditional essay still pulling its weight?

30th October 2025

Aston Business School

We're part of an elite group of global business schools that hold the gold standard of 'triple-crown' accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS.

We are one of the UK's leading business schools for support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and helped to launch the national Help to Grow: Management programme.

Our staff pioneer innovative teaching methods to make your learning experience more rewarding, with many responsible for writing the key textbooks in their field.

Our students experience real-life business through projects, placements and in-house business clinics. The Aston Global Advantage postgraduate professional development programme focuses on more elusive social and personal aspects of business as well as offering opportunities to work or study abroad.

We hold the Athena Swan Bronze award in recognition of our commitment to advancement of gender equality: representation, progression and success of our staff and students.

Our departments and research centres work together to further our understanding of key business disciplines and issues, with a focus on innovation and impact. In the latest Research Excellence Framework, 77% of our research outputs were rated world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).

We were shortlisted for Business School of the Year in the Times Higher Education Awards 2023.