Aston qualification in global top three

25/7/2006

Aqualification from Aston Business School, Birmingham, is one of the first in the world to be recognised by a new quality award. The Aston DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) has been accredited by the Association of MBAs.

Designed to appeal to ‘high flying’ directors and senior managers who already hold an MBA, the DBA is a professional doctorate where students undertake an independent research project into a real business and management issue. Students often continue to work and carry out their thesis part-time; actual timings vary but the DBA is roughly equivalent to three years full-time study.

Aston Business School was recognised alongside programmes from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Kingston Business School in Surrey. The Aston DBA began in 2002 and attracts students from all around the world; there are currently 22 students at different stages of the course coming from as far afield as Moldova, Canada, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the US.

The Association of MBAs developed criteria for accreditation of the DBA in conjunction with DBA academics and the deans and senior academics who are members of the International Accreditation Advisory Board (IAAB). Aston Business School’s MBA programme already holds the Association’s accreditation.

Professor John Saunders, head of Aston Business School at Aston University, said: “Accreditation is core to our determination to be a leading international business school; the Association of MBAs don’t pull any punches so the process gives us a real insight into our programmes as well as giving potential students the confidence that we’re backed by this recognised brand.

“At Aston Business School we want to excel in all we do and this pushes us to keep on learning.”

Jeanette Purcell, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs, states: "The accreditation of DBA programmes is an important and necessary development in an environment where so many choices of programmes and business schools exist. The Association's role is to advocate quality in postgraduate business education and I am delighted at the excellent standards achieved by the first tranche of DBA accreditations."

This announcement is the second accreditation to be awarded to Aston Business School in the past few weeks. Aston was awarded the EQUIS accreditation by the European Foundation for Management Development in June confirming the School’s standing as a ‘triple crown’ institution. As well as EQUIS and the Association of MBAs – the MBA programme is already accredited - the School is also recognised by the American Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB.

The Association of MBAs was established in 1967 and is the advocate for the MBA. The Association's accreditation service is internationally recognised as the global standard for MBA programmes, pre-experience Masters in general management and the DBA. MBA students and graduates from accredited programmes are entitled to membership of the Association giving them a stake in its future. The Association represents all of its constituent groups - MBA graduates, accredited business schools and employers of MBAs. It is committed to the development of management education at postgraduate level: supporting commerce, business schools and a growing network of 9000 members worldwide.

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