World Café

World Café involves several parallel discussions at different tables, focused on one topic or a set of related questions. Students work in small groups and then rotate between tables, developing and building on ideas from previous groups. The result is a shared mind map created through several rounds of discussion.

The key mechanism is knowledge-building. Each new group joins an ongoing conversation, develops it further, and adds new perspectives. This allows the topic to be explored in greater depth and helps students see how different viewpoints can come together to form a more complex picture.

World Café works particularly well with topics that have no single correct answer and require interpretation and the integration of knowledge. It supports active listening, building on others’ ideas, and recognising connections. The method can be adapted in different ways: students may explore one question in greater depth over several rounds, work on several related questions assigned to different tables, or appoint a table host who stays in place and introduces each new group to the ideas already discussed.

Course: Sustainable Development in Business
Topic: Strategies for Reducing Environmental Impact
Students analyse how companies can reduce their environmental impact across different areas of business activity.

Introduction (5 min)
The lecturer sets the context and explains that the aim is to explore the complexity of sustainability-related decision-making. Each table is given a different question, for example on production, logistics, packaging, or marketing communication.

First Round (10 min)
Students work in groups at their tables, analysing the assigned question and recording their ideas on paper. They should identify possible actions, as well as their limitations and consequences.

Rotation (2–3 rounds of 10 min)
Students move to different tables and take up a new question. Each group reads the notes already there and builds on them by adding new perspectives, examples, or counterarguments. If there are table hosts, they stay at their tables and briefly update each new group on the discussion so far.

Drawing Conclusions (5 min)
After the rounds, each group or table host summarises the key conclusions. The lecturer helps bring the different threads together and highlights connections between the areas discussed.

Reflection (5 min)
Students reflect on how their thinking changed over the course of the activity and which ideas they found most convincing or surprising.

• When the topic is complex and benefits from multiple perspectives.
• When you want to deepen understanding through discussion.
• When it is important to build knowledge within the group.

• When the topic is straightforward and does not really require discussion.
• When there is not enough time for several rounds of discussion.
• When the questions are too broad and fail to lead to specific conclusions.

• Discussions become repetitive → use well-designed questions and make each round build on the previous one.
• Lack of structure → set clear rules for discussion and note-taking.
• Some students withdraw from the discussion → encourage active participation and invite them to ask questions.

Easier → Provide clear questions and examples to help guide the discussion.
More Challenging → Introduce more complex problems, conflicting goals, and the need to justify decisions.

• Make sure the notes at each table are clear and easy to follow, as they provide the foundation for the next rounds.
• Introduce the role of table host to maintain continuity throughout the discussion.
• Keep track of time to maintain the pace and momentum of the activity.
• Always conclude with a summary of the discussion to give the activity a clear sense of purpose.

Formative Assessment
During successive rounds, the teacher observes how groups engage with the ideas already recorded on the worksheet and build on discussions initiated by previous groups. After each round, students may be asked to label their contributions as a new perspective, an extension of an earlier idea, an example, a concern, or a connection to another area. Based on these contributions, the teacher provides developmental feedback.

Summative Assessment
Assessment may focus on the final map or synthesis of discussions produced after all rounds of the World Café activity. Students should identify the most important shared conclusions, connections between different areas, contrasting perspectives, and questions that remain open for further exploration.