Business schools are in a competitive market – survival depends on quality

In the last 10 to 20 years the MBA qualification has grown in popularity and has become accessible to a much more diverse market of students from all over the world.

There is a view that the qualification’s remarkable success has in some way damaged the MBA’s status as the premier qualification in business and management. However, it is not growth in itself that threatens the MBA’s reputation, it is the variable quality of the huge numbers of courses on offer.

The MBA comes in for a lot of criticism as a qualification that has become a commodity, has lost its value and is irrelevant to modern business. Unfortunately such criticisms are out of touch with the positive developments that have taken place within the leading business schools in the last five years.

In fact, the MBA has gone through something of a transformation. Good business schools put effort into maintaining strong links with employers. These business schools are offering MBA programmes that are highly relevant , based on the most up to date thinking in business. Courses are practical – offering opportunities for students to try out new skills and knowledge in real business contexts. And the experience that comes from working alongside other students from a range of backgrounds and cultures is unique to the MBA.

However, as the MBA grows so do the number of new business schools that pay little attention to the quality and relevance of their courses. The number of MBA programmes that are not tested for quality and do not have accreditation is a matter of concern for employers and students. Choosing the right MBA course, which is going to bring a real return on your investment, has never been more difficult. Help is required to advise and support potential students when considering their options to ensure that they make the right choice of business school and management programme. At the same time, business schools need support to achieve innovative solutions to programme design and to demonstrate the quality standards that will differentiate their MBA courses from the thousands on offer.