The use of guest speakers, company visits and professional bodies' events in the curriculum

Most universities are now actively engaged in developing and maintaining successful relationships with their local business community. Bringing the "real world" into the classroom is as useful for educators to enrich their own subject expertise as it is to motivate their students since it provides them with industrial knowledge, professional awareness, career prospects etc. The study concentrates on the use of guest speakers, company visits and professional bodies' events in the curriculum and shows how these teaching activities do foster and promote active learning. Results confirm that most students wish to be given regular opportunities to exchange with practitioners in all aspects of their courses