WM businesses offered world-leading ‘mini-MBA’ course

1 September 2017

• Aston Business School partners with the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce to deliver a ‘MBA taster’ course
• Participants will build on their leadership skills and develop their overall business acumen
• Course content based on the Aston MBA – ranked one of the world’s best by CEO Magazine
• Click here to book

Academic experts from one of the world’s best MBA programmes are offering West Midlands business managers the opportunity to become stronger leaders from next month.

Aston Business School and the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce have formed a partnership to deliver The Aston Leadership MBA Series. This will consist of six ‘MBA taster’ workshops designed to help participants build on their leadership skills, navigate challenging times ahead and identify future opportunities.

The series is a bite-sized version of Aston Business School’s Executive MBA programme – ranked one of the world’s best by CEO Magazine – and will help businesses develop their capabilities and maximise their performance, giving them the knowledge and confidence to make decisions from a global perspective and the edge to succeed, whatever lies ahead.

The six workshops will kick off with ‘Leading strategically through change’, taking place on 12 September.

In this talk, renowned business psychologist Dr Uwe Napiersky from Aston Business School will explore strategic change at an organisational level, featuring real life examples. Fitting with the Aston MBA’s ‘learning by doing’ approach, the session will be highly interactive, not a traditional lecture.

For instance, in Matt Davies’ workshop on measuring and enhancing financial performance, participants will be split into groups as part of a business simulation of a robot manufacturer.

Professor George Feiger, Executive Dean of Aston Business School, said as Brexit negotiations continue, now is the perfect time for companies to develop their business acumen:  “Business leaders need to train up to handle the many possible consequences of the UK’s departure from the European Union. Managers at all levels should ask themselves if they have all the skills, market and financial knowledge that they need to adapt quickly to the many challenges that are likely to arise over the next few years.

“This programme is a short refresher on the main dimensions of management, including marketing, accounting and finance, operations, leadership and sustainability. It is hard to think of a more opportune time for businesses to brush up on the basics and discover new ways to improve and prosper.”

Paul Faulkner, Chief Executive of the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to be working with Aston University, a long-standing Chamber Patron, in order to deliver this excellent opportunity for our members to develop their people and their businesses.

“Despite the current political uncertainty, our most recent Quarterly Business Report shows that our members remain optimistic about the futures of their businesses. Engagement in these sessions will increase their resilience against any future turbulence.”

The Aston Leadership MBA Series is free for all Greater Chamber of Commerce members to attend and booked through the website.

A certificate of attendance from Aston Business School will be available to members who attend all five sessions.

See the full programme below (all times and locations are to be confirmed):

Workshop 1: Leading strategically through change	12 September 2017	Dr Uwe Napiersky
Workshop 2: Self-analysis and making strategic career plans	5 October 2017	Paul Schoonenberg
Workshop 3: Managing a socially responsible organisation	21 November 2017	Dr Bahar Kazmi
Workshop 4: Creating and delivering customer value	25 January 2018	Dr Brigitte Nicoulaud
Workshop 5: Measuring and enhancing financial performance	7 March 2018	Matt Davies
Workshop 6: Designing and managing operations, systems and processes	15 May 2018	Professor Ben Clegg

ENDS 

Notes to the editor

About Aston Business School

• Tried, tested and triple accredited. We are in the top 1% of business schools worldwide with triple accreditation from AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS. Aston Business School is renowned for the quality of its teaching, the impact of its research and its supportive environment. We provide students with an inspirational educational experience coupled with strong business links, offering them rapid career progression in international business. We have a talented and ambitious faculty with a strong research reputation and a broad academic publication record. In addition to success in the research grant competition our faculty work with and support businesses and the community in many ways. We are a leader in Knowledge Transfer Partnerships with companies. We are the UK leg of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. We provide advice on development strategies to national and local governments. Our mission is to be the most inspiring and innovative business school in Europe.

About Aston University

• Founded in 1895 and a University since 1966, Aston University has always been a force for change. For 50 years the University has been transforming lives through pioneering research, innovative teaching and graduate employability success. True to Aston’s Coat of Arms which bears the word ‘Forward’, in 2016 Aston held a year-long anniversary celebration to recognise its heritage and achievements, but with a focus to drive forward the next stage in the University’s exciting journey. www.aston.ac.uk/50 

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