Business School Lausanne Doctoral Acceleration Week (DAW) for DBA candidates : Everything you need to know

By Dr. Dominique Bourqui

The next Doctoral Acceleration Week of Business School Lausanne or BSL-DAW is approaching fast! From November 17th to 21^st 2025, BSL DBA candidates will gather at the Geneva Business School Campus in Geneva, for a dynamic week of research, learning, and networking.

What are the BSL DAWs?

Doctoral Acceleration Weeks (DAWs) are special teaching weeks for Business School Lausanne DBA candidates. DAWs are held every six months, both online and on campus.

The goal of the DAWs is to help DBA candidates accelerate the progress of their doctoral research, thus meeting the deadlines they have set for themselves, to complete their Doctoral journey.

The content and format of each Doctoral Acceleration Week is unique, and designed to focus on student progress.

The teaching weeks for Doctoral candidates are structured around three main different types of learning formats.

Faculty Lectures on Research Strategies and Research Methods

The topics presented and discussed during the DAW typically cover the different phases of the research journey, and include among others, lectures on business problem and research question definition; lectures on academic writing; lectures on how to do a critical literature review; or lectures on research design, methodology and methods

DBA Candidate Presentations

Doctoral students are invited to present their research progress during the Doctoral Acceleration weeks. This represents a unique opportunity for students to receive first hand feedback from Faculty of the Doctoral School and to share their research with their peers. This interactive format encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and knowledge exchange within the doctoral community.

Topic-Focused Workshops

During the DAWs, workshop formats focusing on various aspects of the research journey can also be proposed. Workshop formats at the Doctoral level, help students translate theory into practice, and may typically focus on academic writing, or on the development of a research timeline.

What is the academic goal of the DBA Acceleration weeks?

The Doctoral Acceleration Weeks are meticulously designed to cultivate and enhance a broad spectrum of essential research skills among DBA candidates.

Firstly, participants are encouraged to develop robust thinking and reasoning abilities, enabling them to approach complex problems with clarity and logical precision.

Alongside this, the programme places a strong emphasis on building advanced analytical skills, equipping students with the tools necessary to critically assess data, theories, and practical business challenges.

A fundamental aspect of the academic goal of the Daws’ lies in fostering a deep understanding and mastery of the research process itself.

This ensures that candidates are not only apt at designing and conducting rigorous research, but are also capable of navigating the various stages of scholarly inquiry with confidence. Academic writing—and the writing process more broadly—also forms a core component, as students learn how to communicate their findings effectively, adhering to high standards of academic integrity and clarity.

Furthermore, the Doctoral Acceleration Weeks seek to strengthen communication and academic presentation skills. Through regular presentations and feedback sessions, candidates refine their ability to articulate complex ideas and to engage with academic and professional audiences.

Recognising the demands placed on doctoral researchers, the programme also supports students in taking into account a healthy research-life balance, providing strategies to sustain motivation and wellbeing throughout the doctoral journey.

Finally, there is a continuous focus on the alignment of the research goal with the underlying business problem. This ensures that each candidate’s research remains relevant, impactful, and closely connected to real-world business challenges, maximising the value of their scholarly work.

Witnessing senior business professionals evolve into passionate researchers during the DAWs is truly inspiring.

Dr. Dominique Bourqui, Director of the BSL Doctoral School

How do the DAW weeks contribute to building a vibrant research community of senior business professionals?

The Doctoral Acceleration weeks provide a unique opportunity for networking, among like-minded senior business executives, who aim to solve real world business problems, through serious academic research.

DBA candidates from around the world can meet both on campus and online, twice every academic year, and thus become part of an engaging and vibrant research community.

DBA candidates may also be joined informally on campus by Faculty of the Doctoral School, who are not teaching during a given week, but may attend student presentations or lectures and provide additional feedback to the students.

Each DAW includes social activities such as museum visits and a networking dinner, fostering meaningful professional and personal relationships among candidates and Faculty alike.

Are you ready to take your doctoral journey to the next level?

The eagerly awaited BSL Doctoral Acceleration Week is just around the corner!

Mark your calendars for 17th to 21st November 2025, as we gather at the Geneva Business School Campus for an inspiring week dedicated to research, learning, and networking.