Member Article

Over 150 leading UK business schools Deans attending the largest ever ABS Annual Conference

Over 150 leading UK business schools Deans are at the largest ever Association of Business Schools (ABS) Annual Conference

The Business of Business Schools Bloomberg, Finsbury Sq, London, Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th November 2013

• £3.25 billion business schools revenue in UK • 31% are postgraduate students • 37% of all students are from overseas. • 86% of full time MBA students are from overseas • 363,860 students - up from 180,035 in 1999/2000

UK business school Deans will be joined by speakers at the ABS’ flagship annual conference including: Nicky Morgan MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Young from the Cabinet Office and Liam Byrne MP former Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Richard Rawlinson, Chair of Booz and Co and Co Chair of the Innovation and Growth Report on the future of business schools will be opening the conference, highlighting business schools’ need to differentiate themselves from one another to meet the business and management demands of the future.

The stimulus for the Task Force and Report came from the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts. He raised questions on innovation and engagement in the context of current economic policy imperatives and long-standing concerns about the education of British managers, and effectiveness with which academic and scientific innovation in the UK has translated into practice and commercial success.

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said:

“Business schools are vital to growth, but all the incentives have been for them to focus on research. This important report, together with Lord Young’s work, offers business schools a key role their local economies.”

The Innovation and Growth Report highlighted that business schools must work harder, collaborate with local business and communities and, differentiate and specialise to adapt to new challenges from:

• Changing business demand: Businesses want more bespoke courses, tailored to specific industries, UK and emerging market research, diversity in MBA curricula, more soft skills in professional training and job ready graduates • Emerging alternatives: From private providers: Coursera, to Pearson, BPP and Laureate • New technologies: Mass Open Online Courses (MOOCs), Coursera. BYOD (bring your own device), Open interactive systems and providers grouping into vertical alliances offering students and staff end to end platforms for learning Delegates will have the chance to quiz speakers about The Small Business Charter Scheme which is being developed for roll out in 2014 and hear how the government wants business education and management schools to work with and support small business.

Key facts: • UK Business Schools are a powerful success story over the past decade with huge annual growth from 180,000 students in 2000, to 360,000 in 2012 providing universities with many of the highest fee paying students across higher education institutions (HEIs) • 86% of full-time MBA students on courses in the UK are from overseas • UK business schools come in the top echelons in the world league tables and have enjoyed almost 100% growth in the past 12 years • Their revenues and yield per student are high and very important to most leading universities and imperative to UK Plc

For further information, interviews, features, background information call Vicky Robinson, Director of Communications 0207 388 0007 / 07884 002758 or email vrobinson@the-abs.org.uk If you wish to attend this conference please notify Katrina Wright at kwright@the-abs.org.ukor call 020 7324 4330.

Please note the Bloomberg building has security and journalists will need to pre-register to avoid delays, please call 020 7324 4330 for more information.

Places for journalists and news crews at the conference will be limited by space but the conference will also be streamed live online, for details on how to access the live *click here*

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Association of Business Schools .