AMBA accreditation symbolises the apogee of achievement in post-graduate business education and is earned only by the highest-quality post-graduate management programmes.
AMBA accredits Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Business Management (MBM) and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) courses available at fewer than 300 Business Schools, representing the top 2% in the world.
BGA accreditation is a gold-standard quality mark and is awarded to Business Schools that can demonstrate an increasing impact on their students and communities over a measurable period, using BGA’s Continuous Impact Model (CIM), which assesses the improvement in impact across a range of metrics. BGA accreditation is designed to provide both quality assurance and quality enhancement mechanisms for institutions worldwide, in order to ensure the value of the qualification for potential students, graduates, employers and society.
The criteria used for BGA accreditation are based on the BGA Charter, and outline the standards that institutions are expected to meet in order to be awarded BGA-accredited status.
An existing AMBA-accredited Business School, Aberdeen Business School has now been awarded AMBA re-accreditation for its MBA programme and its specialist MBA programme in oil and gas management. It has been awarded BGA accreditation for the entire Business School.
On receiving AMBA accreditation, all current and recent graduates of the School’s MBA portfolio are invited to join AMBA’s global membership network of approximately 45,000 students and alumni in more than 150 countries. Meanwhile, all undergraduates and graduates from any of the Business School’s programmes are invited to join BGA’s individual membership network. Through both these organisations, students and graduates can strengthen a community that acts as a force for good in management thought and practice, via exclusive events and business content.
Aberdeen Business School is one of 11 Schools within Robert Gordon University, which is a UK public university. The mission of Aberdeen Business School is to develop and enthuse professional thinkers and innovative contributors through its business-connected learning, teaching and impactful research. It has four major strategic themes: to provide an outstanding and accessible opportunity for knowledge acquisition; to be internationally recognised for impactful research; to engage with interdisciplinary enterprise and innovation; to provide leadership and management education with an emphasis on the oil, gas and energy sector. Cutting across each of these themes are the principles of quality, relevance and continuing improvement, experiential learning, access and flexibility, and global reach.
The commitment of Robert Gordon University to many of the BGA Charter’s principles are channelled to the School through institutional policies and structures. Some of these include: an Equality and Diversity Advisory Group (EDAG); membership of the Athena SWAN Charter; a sustainability and environmental policy; the formation of the Aberdeen Business School Sustainability Advisory Group; an initiative to develop a new sustainability and environmental policy; and significant efforts in carbon reduction through reduced use of water, energy efficiency, and improved waste management.
As part of the joint AMBA & BGA accreditation process, a panel of assessors representing senior leadership from across Europe visited the School. The panel commended Aberdeen Business School on the authenticity of its ‘business connectedness’ which is evident in both the MBA portfolio (participation of companies in its induction programme, mentoring and leadership week) and at undergraduate level (via its Connect to Business and Placement study route).
The panel was also impressed that Aberdeen Business School’s general commitment of leadership and staff to developing sustainable development, CSR and ethical awareness is tangible and multifaceted, as evidenced by: the School’s responsive leadership and collegial culture, characterised by a caring concern for student progress, employability and professional development; its student-centred approach to supporting students into, through and beyond the programme experience; its diversity and inclusion policy; and the School’s structured transformational experience as offered at both MBA and undergraduate level, which was judged as beneficial to students, the wider community and employers.
AMBA & BGA’s rigorous assessment criteria ensure that only the highest-calibre Schools which demonstrate the best standards in teaching, curricula, and student interaction achieve accreditation.
AMBA & BGA accreditation is international in scope and reach, and the organisation works with senior academics at top educational institutions around the world to continuously update accreditation criteria and maintain one unique, in-depth and detailed approach.
AMBA & BGA believes accredited Schools should be of the highest standard and reflect changing trends and innovation in post-graduate management education and, as such, the accreditation process reflects this commitment to fostering innovation and challenges Business Schools to perform at the highest level continuously.
Professor Elizabeth Gammie, Head of Aberdeen Business School, said she is proud to be the first school in the world to achieve joint AMBA & BGA accreditation.
She said: ‘In a global economy facing rapid transformation, Business Schools need to be more flexible and adaptive than ever before. This requires innovative approaches to teaching, stronger ties to companies, and extensive knowledge about entire industries and markets.
‘To be the first Business School in the whole world to achieve this joint accreditation cements our position as a leader in providing top quality, work-ready graduates.
‘We continue to build on our longstanding and strong partnerships with industry and the wider business community to create a full portfolio of courses that address future skills needs of the region in an effort to prepare the future workforce and drive economic sustainability.’
Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of AMBA & BGA, added: ‘I am delighted that Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University has become the world’s first Business School to achieve joint AMBA & BGA accreditation.
‘The commitment of the School’s leadership and staff to championing and teaching sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethical awareness is extremely impressive. This aligns closely with BGA’s vision of being a global leader in the promotion of responsible management, positive impact and lifelong learning.’
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Notes to Editors
For more information or interviews, please contact:
Stacey Lynch, Communications Officer, RGU– s.lynch1@rgu.ac.uk
David Woods-Hale, Director of Marketing and Communications, AMBA & BGA – d.woods@associationofmbas.com
Ellen Buchan, Communications and Insight Assistant, AMBA & BGA – e.buchan@associationofmbas.com
About Aberdeen Business School
Aberdeen Business School develops professional thinkers and innovative contributors through business-connected learning, award winning teaching and internationally recognised impactful research.
Aberdeen Business School is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB), an accolade achieved by only 5% of global Business Schools. The School’s vision is to empower and inspire, create opportunity, and equip students with the ability to drive change to transform their communities.
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