If you’ve taken a Harvard Business School Online course, you know there are several factors that make the experience unique—from world-class faculty and real-world business examples to edge-of-your-seat learning and tangible outcomes.
One key differentiator is the HBS Online Community. Here’s a primer on what it is, nine benefits you could gain from joining it, and how to get involved.
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The HBS Online Community is a global network of business professionals who identify as lifelong learners. Many Community members have completed or are currently taking an HBS Online course, but it’s not a requirement to join.
While the HBS Online course platform has built-in opportunities for social interaction, the HBS Online Community platform provides a separate venue to network with peers before, during, and after your course.
The HBS Online Community is a value-add if you want a lasting impact from your business education. In a July 2023 City Square Associates survey of HBS Online learners who also took a business program from another provider:
- 74 percent said HBS Online was better at making learners feel like part of a global network or business community
- 67 percent said the ability to network with classmates during and after their course was better than other online business courses
- 63 percent said learning from classmates was better at HBS Online
With over 30 Chapters to join and explore, the Community has a place for all lifelong learning business professionals.
Related: 8 Ways HBS Online Creates an Interactive Online Learning Experience
Why Join the HBS Online Community? 9 Benefits
1. Gain Insights into Which Course to Take
If you’re deciding which HBS Online course to take, the Community is an effective resource for learning about others’ experiences.
For instance, if you’re considering enrolling in Business Strategy, you may post a question asking if anyone in your specific industry or role has taken it and, if so, how it’s helped them.
Alternatively, if you’re unsure which course to take, you could post about the goals and specific skills you’d like to build to get recommendations.
Whether it’s your first HBS Online course or your seventeenth, the Community is full of active members willing to share knowledge and help guide your educational path.
2. Give and Receive Support
Once enrolled in a course, you’ll be automatically added to a private group with your cohort members—those taking it at the same time as you. This group is perfect for giving and receiving support as you progress through the program.
While the course platform offers many opportunities to engage with peers and ask content-related questions, the Community group is great for long-form discussions or networking. After completing your course, you’ll be added to another group comprising all HBS Online past participants.
In each group, you can solicit advice throughout your career—whether searching for a job, handling a challenge at work, or seeking diverse perspectives on an issue. You can also return the favor and provide support to others.
3. Open Yourself to New Perspectives
The HBS Online Community boasts members from all over the world. With that comes opportunities to engage with individuals with different life experiences, cultures, opinions, and challenges.
Stefan Fijala, director at Wacky Advisors, earned a Certificate of Specialization in Strategy and felt that perspective-sharing was essential to his learning experience.
“Sharing experiences and thoughts with other learners is the greatest value,” Fijala said. “Having so many smart people in one place with different cultures, habits, jobs, and education is a huge benefit. Take the opportunity to communicate.”
By opening up to new perspectives, you can build empathy, creative thinking, and innovation skills, which all require considering topics from multiple angles.
4. Expand Your Professional Network
The HBS Online Community can also be effective for growing your professional network. You can connect with others who are in related industries and roles, care about similar causes, and have taken the same courses as you.
Whether you make those connections on the HBS Online Community platform, at local Chapter events, or the annual Connext conference is up to you. However you do it, be genuine, and don’t just collect names and contact information. Those you form relationships with can become future employees or employers, business partners, or trusted colleagues and friends.
Related: How to Build Your Network Through the HBS Online Community Platform
5. Engage with Your Local Chapter
The Community exists on an online platform, but the connections you make can expand into the real world. With over 30 geography-based Chapters, you can find the one closest to you and meet up with fellow members in person.
An Organizer leads each Chapter and facilitates in-person and virtual events, such as:
- Networking meetups
- Lectures and panels
- Book clubs
- Tours and trivia nights
- Dinners
- Food tours
- Case study discussions
New York City Chapter Organizer Patrick Sabineza has hosted events including “Entrepreneurial Perspectives: Business and the Remote Work Revolution” and “A Conversation with Princess Marie-Esmeralda of Belgium.”
“The Community fosters an environment of collaboration, where members are always willing to share their knowledge, experiences, and insights to help others succeed,” Sabineza said. “The support and encouragement I’ve received from fellow Community members has been invaluable in my personal and professional development. It’s truly a dynamic and inclusive space where lifelong connections are formed. I’m grateful to be part of such a vibrant Community.”
Organizers like Sabineza have hosted over 480 events to date. You can find a list of upcoming ones on the Community Platform.
If you don’t have a Chapter nearby, join the Global Chapter, which has members from all over the world and hosts engaging virtual events.
6. Connect with Others Over Specific Business Topics
In addition to geography-based Chapters, the HBS Online Community has two topic-based Chapters you can join: Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
Consider joining the Strategy Chapter if you’re:
- Thinking about taking a strategy course and want to ask questions of those who already have
- Aiming to level up your strategic thinking, formulation, and execution skills and want to connect with others pursuing the same goal
- Have specific questions about strategy that you’d like advice or support on
- Enjoy discussions about business strategy and want to feel intellectually stimulated
Similarly, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Chapter could be a good fit if you’re:
- Considering taking an entrepreneurship and innovation course and want to gain insights before enrolling
- An aspiring entrepreneur in search of advice, co-founders, or funding
- A seasoned entrepreneur who wants to expand your network and learn from others
- A manager looking for ways to drive innovation and creative problem-solving in your organization
As the Community adds more topic-based Chapters, join those that apply to your interests and professional goals.
7. Work Together for a Worthy Cause
Each year, the HBS Online Community hosts the Community Challenge, in which it partners with a nonprofit facing a critical business problem. Broken into teams by geographic Chapter, the Community is tasked with creating a business plan with actionable steps to solve that problem.
Previous Community Challenge winners include:
- The New York Chapter for its proposal to help the Greater Boston Food Bank address food insecurity
- The Los Angeles Chapter for its proposal to help Sustainable Harvest International reverse climate change's effects
- The Tokyo Chapter for its proposal to help United Planet expand its Virtual Exchange Program's reach and scale
- The Dubai Chapter for its proposal to help Empowered to Educate scale its growth to support women educators
- Team Australia (Sydney and Melbourne Chapters) for its proposal to help the Bantwana Initiative of World Education, Inc. expand its impact on those affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty
“From Jordan to UAE, Morocco to Canada, we came together, establishing a working rhythm, assigning tasks and deliverables, followed by many video calls and peer review sessions with an all-hands-on-deck mentality,” said Yasin Kasirga, the Dubai Chapter Organizer, referencing his 2022 Community Challenge winning team. “It was very powerful observing the team’s will to contribute, volunteering for a greater cause, supporting each other, sharing experiences, and bringing the pieces together.”
By participating in the Community Challenge, you can connect with others who care about making a positive impact and enacting real-world change. Stay tuned for the 2024 Community Challenge announcement.
8. Attend the Annual Connext Conference
One perk of taking an HBS Online course is getting the chance to attend HBS Online’s annual Connext conference to share knowledge, network, and gain inspiration.
Comprising a full day of on-campus and virtual programming, Connext features case discussions and HBS faculty- and leadership-led sessions surrounding a timely theme to inspire action. It also includes a pitch competition to determine the Community Challenge winner and opportunities to network and connect with fellow learners.
“One thing is certain: No two Connext weekends are the same,” said Boston Chapter Organizer Andreas von Sachsen-Altenburg in a reflection on 2022’s conference. “The momentum of change and mission of progress shared between Harvard Business School Online staff, faculty, and learners offer uniquely vibrant and enriching experiences year after year.”
If you’re able to join in person, you can connect with those you’ve only interacted with virtually.
“Everybody is at Connext for each other,” von Sachsen-Altenburg added. “Not to learn and grow in isolation, but to engage and connect with like-minded people in this Community and develop relationships to make progress together.”
Monitor the Community platform for Connext 2024 updates.
9. Cultivate Lifelong Learning
As long as you’re in the HBS Online Community, you’ll be part of a group of business professionals who share your love of learning. Throughout your career and life, take advantage of that by engaging in discussions and debates over business challenges, industry or world news, and topics you’re passionate about.
“It’s rare to have the opportunity to learn from professionals around the world, in different stages in their career, and from an array of professions striving for the same objective,” said Carlvin Sylvain Dorvilier, who took the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program. “Not only were we united on all social platforms, but each city had several meetups organizing study groups, group outings, and networking opportunities to learn from one another.”
How to Build Your Global Network
You can join the HBS Online Community today—even if you haven’t taken a course. From there, you can find your nearest geography-based Chapter, explore topic-based Chapters, update your profile, and make your first post.
In your post, you can:
- Introduce yourself—include where you’re from, your role and industry, and what you’re interested in—and ask if anyone else shares those attributes.
- Ask a question about an HBS Online course you’re considering.
- Reflect on your course experience and ask about others’ key takeaways.
- Solicit advice on a business challenge you’re facing.
- Reference industry trends or news to start a discussion.
You can also consider joining your local Chapter or the Global Chapter to participate in the Community Challenge. Once you’ve taken a course, register for Connext to connect with others on a new level.
Know that wherever you are in the world and your career, the HBS Online Community is there to support and grow alongside you.
Are you interested in pursuing online learning with a supportive, global network of peers? Explore our course catalog, and join the HBS Online Community today. Not sure where to start? Download our free guide to online learning success.
