1750 Via Nova Academy J. P. T. Thijssen Via Nova Academy, The Netherlands, University of Amsterdam Business School, The Netherlands, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands, & SPACE Network, Belgium introduction Currently there is much debate about the gap between business schools and the business world (Bennis & O'Toole, 2005; Gosling & Mintzberg, 2003; Huff, 2000; Pfeffer & Fong, 2002). One of the arguments is that business schools focus too much on "scientific" research and lack relevant business context and real- world experience. This problem of the detachment of the academic world from the business world forms the basis of the research efforts at the department of Infor- mation Management at the University of Amsterdam over the past 20 years. The university as an institution is at a decisive moment in its history. It is confronted with numerous sities tend to emphasize self-guidance on the part of students in carrying out learning tasks. The teacher's role is restricted to designing the curriculum, prescribing the learning path to be followed, and giving students feedback on the extent to which they have acquired the learning content. Moreover, most students work their way toward graduation in solitude. The main improvements of learning-by-sharing on existing learning models are the systematic introduc- tion of the external world into the learning process and the reciprocal nature of the interactions involved: business individuals with students, students with teachers/researchers, and teachers/researchers with business individuals. All learn from the shared learn- ing experiences.