Next generation of global managers will come from Aston

1/11/2006

A new vision for higher education has persuaded Aston Business School in Birmingham to combine with two other prestigious European universities and produce a new generation of executives and entrepreneurs.

The groundbreaking new European Masters in Management degree will change the face of international business education.

A joint initiative between Aston Business School, part of Aston University, EM-Lyon, France and Ludwig Maximilians University, in Munich, Germany, the European Masters in Management gives students a unique opportunity to study under academics from all three high profile business schools.

The first intake of the new two-year programme - which combines both studying and an internship or job placement in industry - start in October 2007 with recruitment commencing in the autumn.

Students will take their first two terms of core subjects at one of the three schools with professors from France, Germany and the UK mobilising to teach students. The 'base' school will change every two years. Following an extended internship, the second year will be devoted to the students' specialism - either marketing, corporate finance or organisation, strategy and change.

As well as offering the students a new challenge the initiative is also unique for university staff who will move between the three schools.

The agreement follows ratification of the Bologna Declaration, signed by 45 countries in May 2005, which has opened the way for a new vision of higher education in Europe. The main objectives are to harmonise courses around a common base and enhance student mobility to open up greater opportunities.

Helping to launch the new EMM, Professor John Saunders, Head of Aston Business School, said it was a way of producing the type of future employees that multi-nationals require and reflect the current trends in global business.

"Archaeological evidence shows that trade has always been global," he said. "But now it is globalisation with a difference. Whereas once the Greeks, Romans, Chinese, British, French or Germans tried to control parts of the globe, so numerous companies compete globally in each others' markets.

"Leaders once sought to dominate other cultures whereas today's managers face a career in many countries, coupled with global competitors drawing people from across the world. Already most of Aston's graduates start their careers in non-UK based multinationals.

"Just as the world's best soccer teams draw the best from across the world, so will tomorrow's companies recruit globally and need managers to work in multicultural teams."

Aston Business School is one of the most experienced providers of business and management education in the UK. Today, it is among the largest of the leading business schools in Europe and plays a dynamic role as part of the national and European business community, attracting delegates, speakers, students and staff from around the world. This international strength has helped to develop the school's status as an emerging centre of excellence for business education and management research.

"The European Masters is about creating tomorrow's globally-oriented manager today," added Prof Saunders. "Instead of simply grafting on a piece of international experience with a 'rational' vocational experience, our managers will be trained across borders with people from many nations."

Students will take their first two terms of core subjects at one of the three schools with professors from France, Germany and the UK mobilising to teach students. The 'base' school will change every two years. Following an extended internship, the second year will be devoted to the students' specialism - either marketing at Aston, corporate finance at Lyon, strategy and change in Munich.

As well as offering the students a new challenge the initiative is also unique for university staff who will move between the three schools.

Patrice Houdayer, EM Lyon Grande Ecole Director, said the significance of the Bologna declaration was that by 2010, when all 45 higher education systems will be compatible, it will provide 2.4 million Bachelor graduates per year.

"The merger between our three institutions on this project can be easily explained: the quality of teaching and research made it a natural partnership, and the spirit of innovation driving our institutions was also a major factor in this consortium.

"The result is a joint programme, really built together, after months of common work and exchanges."

The broad range of opportunities opened up by the new Masters is something Professor Manfred Schwaiger, of Ludwig Maximilian University, maintained would prove increasingly attractive to students and would also help with the development of faculty in Munich and the other two schools.

"This is an opportunity for us to learn too," he said. "It will give us at LMU the chance to broaden out.

"Successful alumni are a true adornment for every university, and they contribute to fostering the reputation of our traditional educational institution."

The courses on offer through the EMM will be designed by professors from all three schools and also with significant input from key partners, such as the type of blue chip companies that will ultimately seek to recruit students from the Masters programme.

For information go to:

Aston Business School, Birmingham, UK- www.abs.aston.ac.uk/newweb/.

The European Masters in Management -www.european-master.com.

EM-Lyon Business School, France -www.em-lyon.com

Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany - www.lmu.de

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