Business School Activity Hub

No formal preparation is needed before you join us but we've provided a range of helpful sources to prepare and explore key areas of interest prior to arrival with us. 

The below links will help you get a head start on year one by familiarising you with some of the content.  

• Harvard Business School Online allows access to 'The Beginner's Guide to Reading and Understanding Financial Statements' here. 
• Information on the Harvard referencing style (used by Royal Holloway Business School) can be found via Cite Them Write website here. 
• The Financial Times - the FT Schools website curates content for those aged 16-19 - in particular, see the ‘Business’ and ‘Economics’ sections for the most useful material. 

You will be provided with access and guidance on how to use new learning resources from our library at Royal Holloway to support your academic reading and writing. If you would like a head start, these resources have been recommended by colleagues:

• The Royal Literary Fund (if writing an essay is a new academic practice) 
• The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University (comprehensive writing resources and instructional material such as ‘general writing’ and ‘avoiding plagiarism’ sections).

In your first year you will also be introduced to Cite Them Right using the Harvard referencing 
style

The use of technology can assist your learning and will benefit your future employability, as familiarity with technology is a vital requirement for virtually all jobs. 

As a Royal Holloway student, you will receive access to Microsoft Office 365. Word, Excel, and 
PowerPoint will be used to complete assessed coursework. 

• Excel may be less familiar to you, so training on it is included as part of the first-year 
programme. Microsoft also offers free video training on Excel. 
• Outlook helps with organisation and time management. Outlook Training.

Confidence with numbers is important, as a life skill that will assist both your studies and future professional life. In particular it will:

• help with individual first-year modules
• help your future career through the successful completion of numerical reasoning assessments used by many business organisations in the early stages of vetting internship and placement applicants

You may find it useful to refresh your numeracy skills if you have not studied any numbers-based subject since GCSE: BBC Bitesize GCSE Maths offers teaching and revision materials alongside quizzes to test your knowledge. Free examples of numerical reasoning tests used by prospective employers can be found via Assessment Day. 
Numeracy is also linked to financial literacy, a key part of knowing how to manage your money. UK-based Money Saving Expert has a section devoted to students (under ‘guides and tools to help you save money while studying’)

Joining an exclusive group of less than 6% of the world's business schools, the School holds business accreditation from AACSB International, the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools and the largest business education network connecting learners, educators, and businesses worldwide.

They're a global non-profit association, connecting educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders, championing excellence in:

• Student, faculty, and staff as active participants
• Learning and teaching 
• Academic and professional engagement.

Find out more here.

How do great leaders inspire action? This enlightening TED Talk efficiently explains the ‘What, How & Why’ of the world’s most successful leaders.

For a fun look at the theory of different leadership styles, check out Royal Holloway Business School's Professor Fiona Moore's blog series: 

• Leadership Lessons from Game of Thrones

The global pandemic has revolutionised the way leaders interact, teach and inspire, both virtually and in-person. Take a look at the below articles, to explore some examples of modern leadership.

• Why young people in every sphere – not just business and politics – should learn to lead
• How Can You Tell Someone Has Exceptional Leadership Skills? One Word.
• The Top 5 Qualities Every Leader Must Have To Adapt Post-Pandemic 

Sustainability is an unavoidable item of discussion across every industry, with a greater influence than ever on modern business decision making. The below articles, including work from the School's very own academics, illustrate it's impact.

• Climate change: carbon labels and clever menu design can cut the impact of dining - new study
• How children are helping to make their families more eco-friendly
• Royal Holloway Business School's Centre for Research into Sustainability (CRIS)

Fintech is one of the most exciting and topical areas in global business today. The emergence of a new generation of financial technology has, in a short time, had a considerable impact on how to do business, transact as customers, and think about the financial future. Investment in the sector reflects this as it continues to grow with no sign of stopping. In some of our lessons you will also discuss the FinTech ecosystem and the main FinTech innovations. As a taster, you can explore the Blockchain insider website accessible via: 11FS Video Content

Embracing the digital era is essential, as is ensuring you have the tools and skills to thrive in this environment. Below are links to articles highlighting how businesses are adapting their offering and overcoming the challenges of marketing in a post-Covid landscape, as well as to the research into and work around digital innovation carried out by the School

• Digital Organisation and Society Research Centre at Royal Holloway Business School
• 2023 Digital Marketing Trends across the six pillars of marketing
• Pitchfork - The Music Metaverse is (Almost) Ready to Conquer the World

With an increasing buzz around the Metaverse these days, this TEDx talk, Brian gives us a glimpse into the future of the metaverse and how it will impact every aspect of society as we know it.

The Economist magazine - for staying updated on global business and economic news. Read it here 

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries - a popular book on entrepreneurship and innovation. Find out more here 

Good to Great by Jim Collins - a classic business book on what makes companies successful. Find out more here 

The Financial Times newspaper - for in-depth coverage of UK and international business news. Read it here 

The Bottom Line podcast by BBC Radio 4 - discusses business topics and trends. Programme website 

The Economist Radio podcasts - cover a range of business and economic issues. Apple podcasts 

The Business Podcast by The Guardian - features interviews with business leaders and experts. Listen here 

Blockchain Insider Podcast by 11:FS - This series is a dedicated podcast specialising in crypto, blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT). Choose one podcast that sparks your interest. There are 197 podcasts to choose from!  Listen Here

The Crown and the Royal Brand - Royal Holloway Business School's Professor of Marketing and Consumer Research Pauline MacLaran discusses the careful brand cultivation of the Royal Family, including the fine balance between their accessibility and mystique and representation in popular culture. Listen here (Episode 9). 

Quarantined Market Podcast - join our former Head of Department of Marketing, Professor Alan Bradshaw, as he discusses markets and consumption, in these historical times, with various guests. Listen here.

Want to be inspired by ideas and insights from industry leaders? Check out these TED Talks topics: 

• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Marketing
• Innovation
• Investing

Ever found yourself idly scrolling, struggling to choose what to watch next? Then how about a documentary binge: 

BBC

• Dragon's Den - a TV show where entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to investors. Watch it here
• Inside the Factory - a documentary series exploring manufacturing in the UK. Watch it here

Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/gb/)

• Money, Explained - Dive into the history of con artists and how technology makes it easier for these schemes to flourish
• Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates – three-part documentary series exploring the mind and motivations of one of the most brilliant brains in the world.
• Print the Legend - This award-winning documentary explores the innovative thinking behind 3D printing and the race to build a dream from scratch.

Or maybe you get sucked into TikTok, wondering 'how did I get here?!' If so, then look no further for our top choices right now:

TikTok

• @GymShark - High quality motivational and engaging gym-based content.
• @Jesseeckel - On a journey from $1 to $1million, Jesse gives his audience the chance to vote on what he should do next.
• @TheMrsPedersen - The self-proclaimed 'Queen of Social Media' offers her tips, tricks and advice.

1. Follow relevant business leaders, companies, and influencers on social media platforms like LinkedIn and X.
2. Familiarise yourselves with UK business etiquette and cultural norms.
3. Research the UK's major industries, companies, and economic indicators.
4. Review basic business terminology and concepts you'll encounter in your studies.

GeoGuessr
Reckon you know your Golden Gate Bridge from your Great Wall of China? Journey around the world and see if you can work out where you are from a randomly selected location!

Internet Live Stats
From Twitter to Tumblr, smartphones to Skype, watch as the internet grows in real-time, across a range of posts, searches views and uploads.

Try something new for 30 days
Looking to break a habit or even start something new before you join us? This short TED Talk is a great place to start in this perfect time to try something new for 30 days.

For other general information on getting prepared for university, see our general pages for applicants.