River Learning Trust on collaborating with Oxford students on the Oxford Strategy Challenge
It’s a low-risk, high-energy way to get some serious work done while connecting with some of the brightest minds at Oxford.
The Chief Financial Officer at the River Learning Trust Benedicte Yue reflects on her experience collaborating with Oxford students through the Oxford Strategy Challenge, sharing what it was like to take part and offering advice for other organisations considering involvement.
Benedicte Yue, leads on finance, data, community development, and partnership work across the Trust. River Learning Trust is a 31-school Multi Academy Trust, serving around 16,500 students and employing approximately 2,500 staff, largely based in Oxfordshire.
The challenge
The strategic question explored during the challenge was:
How can the Oxford Equinox Project effectively combine the power of local businesses, universities, and community groups to establish a robust support system in Blackbird Leys that boosts young people’s interest in STEM and builds equitable pathways out of economic deprivation?
How Oxford students supported the project
A team of 5 students (studying PPE, Geography, History, Biology and environmental policy) were allocated to our project .
I gave them a one hour briefing and they presented back 5 days later (in fact 3 days and a weekend)
The speed and quality of their work were truly impressive; not only in the quality of the ideas, but in the way they clearly grasped the realities of the local context.
Their recommendations were realistic as well as ambitious in setting out tiered involvement, co-design, recognition and accreditation with a sense of shared responsibility and sustainability over time. There are certainly lots of great ideas to build on.
Share what you enjoy about working with Oxford students
They were extremely professional. The day after the briefing, I received a well structured proposal letter for comments to confirm their understanding before engaging with the work.
I was particularly impressed by their ability to translate complex problems into clear visual frameworks and action plans.
They used relatable personal examples and the quality of the delivery was remarkable. They really worked well as a team which is even more impressive given they did not know each other before the project.
I will be keen to involve them in any follow up work.
Advice to other organisations considering offering projects through the programme
Participating in TOSCA is a fantastic way to get a fresh set of eyes on those "back-burner" strategic projects you never quite have the time to tackle.
The real magic is in the student diversity; because they come from all sorts of academic backgrounds, they challenge your assumptions and offer creative solutions that an internal team might miss.
It’s an incredibly fast-paced week, so the key is to give them a very specific, bite-sized problem to solve rather than something too broad. For a small time investment in briefing them, you walk away with a professional presentation and genuine insights.
It’s a low-risk, high-energy way to get some serious work done while connecting with some of the brightest minds at Oxford. Including young people's voice in solving today's challenges is also so important to move beyond impersonal interventions and build relatable support that works.
Mrs Benedicte Yue, FISBL, FRSA - Chief Financial Officer, Community & Partnerships at River Learning Trust
About the Oxford Strategy Challenge
The Oxford Strategy Challenge (TOSCA) is a team-based experiential learning event with participants taking part in real strategy-focused client challenges over a week.
