Harvard Business Impact Introduces Essential Skill Suites: Rethinking How Students Learn and Develop the Distinctive Human Skills That Employers Demand

Skills-based, active learning equips students with the human capabilities employers seek

BOSTON, Aug. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harvard Business Impact, the leading platform for over 250,000+ educators worldwide, today announced the launch of Essential Skill Suites, a portfolio of course materials designed to help students build the crucial, career-ready skills employers seek through practice-based, active learning.

Higher education is under growing pressure to prepare graduates for a workforce being reshaped by AI. Harvard Business Impact developed Essential Skill Suites to help close that gap, drawing on its experience partnering with more than 4,000 higher education institutions across 75 countries as well as Global 2000 organizations, to build course materials that are seamless for faculty to teach and grounded in practice-based, active learning.

"Today's graduates want to leave college confident in their future readiness, knowing they can collaborate with others, navigate uncertainty, and make sound decisions. That's exactly what employers are looking for, too," says Nicole Harris, Senior Director, Strategic Planning and Growth Initiatives, Harvard Business Impact. "That's why we're launching our Essential Skill Suites: to help educators and higher ed institutions give students the opportunity to practice and hone the very skills that'll help them succeed—in school, in their careers, and in life."

Essential Skill Suites were designed with the understanding that students, especially bachelor’s, retain more knowledge when they can actively learn and practice it. Drawing on Harvard Business Impact’s expertise in active learning, the portfolio provides educators with a curated set of practice-based course materials that bring learning to life. Each Skill Suite includes AI-powered online courses in partnership with CodeSignal, along with Harvard Business Impact’s Quick Cases and award-winning simulations. While each component of the suite can be used independently, together they create a cohesive, rich and immersive learning experience for students.

The portfolio launches with three inaugural Essential Skill Suites informed by global research on employer needs and input from faculty: Navigating Change and Uncertainty, Collaborating Productively, and Thinking and Acting with Integrity, with additional skills planned to be added in the near future.

The first Essential Skill Suites will be available in August, giving educators the opportunity to integrate practice-based, active learning into their fall syllabi. Educators interested in bringing Essential Skill Suites into their courses can learn more and get started at https://hbsp.harvard.edu/undergraduate/skills.

About Harvard Business Impact

Harvard Business Impact is part of Harvard Business Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. Harvard Business Impact is dedicated to promoting excellence in management education and unlocking the leader in everyone, starting in the classroom. We partner with more than 4,000 higher education institutions across 75 countries, as well as Global 2000 organizations, to deliver best-in-class learning experiences that develop leaders who are ready for a changing world. Learn more at hbsp.harvard.edu.

Media contact: Caroline Hansen [chansen@wearecsg.com]