SETTING A GLOBAL STANDARD FOR THE MBA


The increasing number of


MBA courses on offer in most countries across the world can make the choice bewildering for aspiring business students. An international accreditation, from an impartial authority, recognised by employers and students is a reliable stamp of approval that helps define the choice for professionals considering postgraduate management education says, Sharon Bamford, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs.


Selecting an MBA programme with an internationally recognised accreditation, such as from the Association of MBAs, is a guarantee for both the student and the prospective employer that the MBA studies have met rigorous standards of management training, and that the faculty, students and curriculum are of the highest quality.


There are other indications of quality in MBA programmes such as rankings and of course those business schools that have the distinct brand names. However, the methodologies used to rank business schools vary widely and can considered subjective and volatile, whereas accreditation is consistent, as it involves a rigorous assessment


by a body independent of the school with the aim to maintain quality and a global standard for MBA education.


While the main MBA curriculum and faculty is obviously a very important consideration, so is the geographic location, style of business school and mode of study. It will become a matter of choosing the most suitable school for you. When I did my MBA I was limited by choice because I lived in a particular area, I ran a business and I had three children, and so it was totally impractical for me to say OK family I’m off to Paris to study at INSEAD.


The options for the mode of study for MBA programmes are also a big factor to consider when deciding on your course, whether full-time, part-time or distance- learning.


With the changing economic times, many MBA students are choosing to remain in work while they study and while full-time MBAs remain the most popular according to Association of MBAs research, we are seeing a growth in part-time and in particular distance learning MBAs.


This is where accreditation also offers the student assurance that their


part-time or distance-learning course will still offer them the best learning opportunities. As the Association of MBAs ensures distance-learning programmes are delivered in such a way that students receive an equivalent learning experience to that of students studying on a face-to-face basis, for example, we ensure the business school meets a minimum of 120 contact hours. One of the strengths of Association of MBAs accreditation is the international aspect of the MBA cohort, which means that students are not only from different sectors but are from different countries. So they have to think in terms of a global environment from day one, as they are learning about the international context of, for example, HR, strategy or finance.


The MBA should also reflect changing trends and innovation. Many of our accredited business schools have introduced innovative and creative approaches to teaching MBAs. We now recognise this with the Association of MBAs Innovation Award, which we introduced last year to shine a light on the great ideas being introduced by our accredited business schools around the world.


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