This paper explores how democratic educational practices and action learning are applied in an MSc Human Resource Management Enhancement Programme (HRMEP) in a UK higher education context. Using a triple-layered model of reflective learning, the programme emphasises a participatory approach, critical reflection, and practical application of HRM knowledge to real-world contexts in a collaborative and inquiry-driven process, which empowers students as active change agents in their professional development in HRM. The findings indicate that embedding democratic values and action learning within pedagogical design and delivery in Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) can effectively improve learner autonomy, promote inclusive dialogue, and enable students to co-create actionable knowledge, which can bridge the gap between academic learning and its application in practical contexts.