CBS lec­turer of the year: “Good teach­ing is about cre­at­ing space for dif­fi­cult dis­cus­sions”

Imagine the following dilemma:

A woman employed by a major company is subjected to sexual harassment by a senior leader. She now faces a difficult choice: should she accept a large sum of money to stay silent – money that, as someone with limited financial resources, could significantly change her and her children’s lives? Or should she go public and potentially prevent the same thing from happening to others?

This is how a teaching session with Poornima Luthra might begin.

“It’s a short case, but it really sparksrich conversations,” she explains.

“Ethical questions, power, culture, gender, economics, risk, there are no easy solutions. And that is exactly the point. I want students to understand that human behaviour in organisations is rarely clear cut,” says Poornima Luthra.

At CBS, she researches and teaches organisational behaviour, HR, diversity and inclusion, and then she is particularly known for bringing complex, real-world dilemmas into the classroom.

And it is exactly her ability to combine dilemma-based learning, sensitive topics and academic depth that has earned her the DSEB Education Award, which will be presented at the CBS New Year’s reception on 15 January.

From mediocre evaluations to top scores

In the award nomination, it is highlighted that Poornima Luthra has on several occasions taken over courses with low evaluations and succeeded in turning them into top performers.

Ask her why, and she is clear: her success does not stem from making courses easier, but from making them more relevant.

“I always ask myself: What is the most important thing students need to learn, not just for an exam, but for the world they are entering? If they can see the relevance, they invest their energy,” she explains.

One example is her teaching in Labour Market Theory and Analysis, a subject she herself describes as “rather dry”.

To make the material stick, she deliberately works with multiple learning styles:

“I’m constantly thinking about how to make the content settle. So I use both visual and experiential teaching methods, but across a number of weeks. It can be anything from group discussions to short case exercises. When students encounter the material in different ways, their engagement is completely different.”

And when theory is connected to real-life dilemmas and guest speakers, something she frequently incorporates, she sees a clear shift:

“That’s when it begins to make sense for them. They can feel that it’s not just theory, but knowledge they will need as employees and leaders.”

Students should leave CBS with more than theory

According to Poornima Luthra, the very idea of teaching is changing.
“We no longer teach in a world where knowledge is scarce. Students can access all the theory they want through AI. So why do they come to CBS?” she asks and offers her own answer:

“Our role is to create the connection between theory and practice, the part of learning that can only happen through dialogue, perspectives and experience. That is the value we need to stand on.”

“We are not just sending graduates out into the world. We are sending people who can think critically, act ethically and navigate complexity. That is the greatest difference a university can make.”

There must be room for disagreement

When Poornima Luthra teaches inclusion, bias, leadership and HR, she often finds herself in the middle of a landscape filled with strong opinions. But she believes that it is exactly where the most important learning takes place.

“At a business school we meet many students who are used to binary answers: right or wrong. But that’s not how people work. I put great emphasis on creating a classroom environment where they dare to disagree, and where they understand why they disagree.”

This requires clear expectations from day one.
“I’m very direct: we are here to have robust discussions. I invite them to challenge one another, challenge the theories and challenge me, as long as it’s respectful.”

She also works actively to demonstrate her own openness.
“When a student challenges my approach, I engage with curiosity. I ask: ‘Where does your experience come from? What data supports your view?’ When I show openness and genuine interest, the students do the same. They see that you don’t lose authority by listening.”

It is in these moments that she sees real change happening.

“When they leave the classroom thinking, and return the following week saying they’ve seen the world a little differently since last time, that’s when I know the teaching works,” she says.