MBAs are growing not only in number but variety and content.

A report by The Independent shows that over the last 10 years, the number of MBA schools on the continent has grown exponentially.

There are now at least 500, although according to the report, barely a third have the sector’s gold standard seal of approval – accreditation by Britain’s Association of MBAs (AMBA).

Jeanette Purcell, chief executive of AMBA, told the paper that the most credible business schools are those with two key strengths: a resolutely international outlook, allied to a degree of specialism – often linked to the industrial strengths of the localities in which they are based.

And, said Purcell, competition is so fierce that schools are having to differentiate themselves. “If you’re a truly leading international school, like London Business School, you don’t need to, but if you’re smaller and newer, like Monaco, you have to find something to distinguish you from the rest.”

It’s not just being different that counts, said the paper. Novelty also plays its part. At Rotterdam Business School, each student is allocated a ‘personal coach’ to guide them in academic and social activities. Whilst at Bordeaux Business School an MBA in managing winemaking is on offer.

The Eastern Bloc is also jumping on the MBA bandwagon. “Of the dozens of new schools to have emerged in countries like Slovenia, the Ukraine and Russia, only a handful currently meet AMBA criteria. But six of these are in Moscow – making it the world’s most AMBA-accredited city outside London.”

“Eastern European schools tend to be quite traditional in outlook, because there’s still a lot of state regulation of their countries’ economies,” explained AMBA accreditation projects manager Mark Stoddard. “That said, the idea of studying management is very relevant there for the very reason that this regulation is in the process of ending.”

For the full article see: The Independent