FMA and Sheffield Hallam University to Bridge the Education Gap for Experienced FMs

LONDON, September 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A unique and exciting opportunity is being offered to experienced facilities managers to gain a formal MBA in the industry.  The qualification in facilities management has been developed by the Facilities Management Association (FMA) in association with Sheffield Hallam University and will provide a new and innovative route for those who have worked within the industry, but had little opportunity to develop leadership qualifications.

The new postgraduate programme is closed to those who are not an FMA member and has been designed only for the member organisations. The distance-learning course will be provided by Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University, allowing independent study and completion of the programme in just 3 years, with a total of 20 campus days in London.

The blended learning course, which builds on the University's portfolio of facilities management courses including its existing MBA, is being offered to FMA members at a significant discount as an additional benefit to membership of the association.  Paid for and nominated by individual companies, it will be seen as a continuing display of employer commitment. Its primary aim is to develop leadership and management skills, giving them a recognised qualification in this area.

As part of their continuing investment in the industry, the FMA will also be funding a scholarship place for the course.

Chris Hoar, Chief Executive of the FMA, comments: "This move represents our ongoing dedication to up-skilling the industry. The path of this qualification has never been taken before and has been designed for a number of experienced FM professionals in our industry that do not have any formal qualifications to compete with those gained by new graduates. It bridges the existing gap in education for the sector and highlights employer dedication towards staff."

He adds: "We were keen to partner with Sheffield Hallam University to deliver this programme of study, as they are renowned for their work through the Centre for Facilities Management Development; developing knowledge, people and practice in FM."

Mel Bull, Course Leader for the Facilities Management MBA said: "Sheffield Hallam has long been at the forefront of delivering facilities management courses and is proud to have developed this novel course with the FMA."

"The course will respond to a clear need in the profession. We found that facilities management professionals have exemplary professionalism and long career histories and this unique course will give them the academic distinction they deserve."

"The FMA approached us to develop a tailor-made course using our existing open access MBA to suit its own needs. This course will emphasise putting academic theory into practice and will enable students to apply learning to their own FM delivery."

Another key partner in the project is The Facilities Society and its Director Dr Brian Atkin.  As author of Total Facilities Management and Chief Assessor of the course, he explains: "This is an excellent opportunity for those who want to progress in the FM world, who may have missed out on previous educational opportunities."

"There is no universal approach to managing facilities. Each organisation even within the same sector will have different needs, and this is what the qualification has been designed to offer those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the industry."

To be eligible to study for the FMA's MBA qualification, members must have completed the 'Certificate in Facilities Management', which is also available through the FMA. This is a pre-requisite for what is essentially a closed access MBA for the FMA.

Members who wish to study for the Certificate later this year will be able to commence the MBA in March 2013, which will consist of continuous assessment.

For more information, please visit http://www.fmassociation.org.uk. Members already studying for the Certificate can access the online learning facility at http://www.fma-uni.com. This is only available via a secure log-in for participating students.

Contact: Cassie Farrer, cassie@zoodikers.com