Established in 1967, AMBA accredits 201 business schools that offer more than 800 MBA, DBA and MBM programmes in 70 countries. Edex spoke to Mark Stoddard, accreditation projects manager, Association of MBAs (AMBA), UK, about accreditation, MBA edu in India and more.
What are the functions of AMBA?
AMBA is an international authority on postgraduate business education. Our accreditation service is the global standard for all MBA, DBA and MBM programmes. We accredit MBA provision at 200 schools in over 70 countries. We are the only professional membership association that connects MBA students, graduates, accredited business schools and MBA employers.
How does AMBA go about its certification process?
AMBA accreditation sets a global standard for postgraduate management education. Our rigorous independent assessment criteria ensures that only the highest calibre of MBA programmes achieve our accreditation. The process involves a rigorous peer-reviewed assessment and business schools have a detailed criteria, covering every aspect of the MBA that need to be adhered to before an independent panel of senior academics from leading international business schools go to the school to conduct assessments. They assess the faculty, curriculum, students, facilities and outcomes to ensure they meet accreditation criteria.
Once a business school receives AMBA’s accreditation, they have access to international MBA networks through our accredited business schools worldwide and our student, graduate and employer membership networks. As part of the AMBA family, these business schools are also demonstrating a commitment to invest in the continual development of postgraduate business education.
How will AMBA accreditation help Indian B-schools?
Having AMBA accreditation gives Indian schools international recognition. It puts these business schools in an elite group that have had their MBA programmes benchmarked for quality.
Are Indian colleges capable of moulding industry-ready MBA graduates?
The business schools with AMBA accreditation have excellent placement records. All Indian students are placed before or very shortly after they finish their degree. We currently accredit the MBA provision at five of the best schools in India. Only a small proportion of business schools in India offer master-level programmes at the post-experience level, which is the industry standard for MBA.
What is your opinion on the MBA education here?
Having previously followed the very traditional curriculum and pedagogy, the best Indian business schools are innovating and producing programmes that build on the unique strengths of the Indian market now. Having spent time in India recently, it is clear that this development is continuing. It is pleasing to see Indian schools focusing on social development and social entrepreneurship, as well as building capacity in the post-experience market.
You can view AMBA-accredited B-schools at www.ambaguide.com. Schools with AMBA accreditation in India include IIM-Kozhikode, IIM-Lucknow, International Management Institute , New Delhi, Management Development Institute, Gurgaon, and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.
— kaviya@newindianexpress.com