Don’t just teach me, coach me
10 September 2025
Elena Liquete looks at what is driving the growing student demand for coaching.
When students choose a Master’s or MBA today, they want more than just lectures, case studies, and exams. They’re looking for guidance that’s personal, practical, and future-focused. That’s where coaching comes in.
Recent research makes this crystal clear. In the Tomorrow’s Masters 2025 study, students ranked coaching and mentoring among the top three career services they expect from their programme, second only to career workshops. For them, the real value of a degree isn’t just knowledge—it’s knowing how to apply it, build confidence, and make smart career moves. Coaching provides that personalised touch.
The story is the same at MBA level. According to the Tomorrow’s MBA 2025 report, candidates place as much importance on career coaching, mentoring, and personalised career plans as they do on traditional workshops. These are mid-career professionals, often balancing work, study, and family, and they want clarity on where to head next—whether it’s climbing to senior leadership, switching industries, or starting a business. Coaching gives them the space and support to figure that out.
What’s driving this shift? Personalisation. Students no longer want “one-size-fits-all” services. They expect their education to recognise who they are, where they’ve come from, and where they want to go. Coaching does exactly that. It adapts to the individual, offering a sounding board, challenge, and encouragement.
For institutions, the message is simple: coaching is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. It boosts student satisfaction, strengthens career outcomes, and shows a clear return on investment—something every prospective student is weighing up. In an increasingly competitive market, schools that embed high-quality coaching into their programmes will stand out.
But the benefits go deeper. Coaching isn’t just about landing the next job. It helps students build self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to navigate uncertainty—skills that matter in a world of rapid change. Whether dealing with AI disruption, shifting industries, or global challenges, graduates with these capabilities will thrive.
In short, today’s students are saying: “Don’t just teach me. Coach me.” They want education to be a partnership, where knowledge meets guidance and where ambition turns into action. Business schools and universities that listen to this call will not only deliver better outcomes but also shape more confident, adaptable, and future-ready leaders.