Network of MBAS Light the Path to Values-Based Leadership
25 Feb, 2013, 13:13 GMT
STELLENBOSCH, South Africa, February 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Collaboration and responsible leadership were the themes to emerge from the Association of MBAs' (AMBA) Global Leadership Conference held at the University of Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa between 21 and 24 February 2013.
Speakers from NASA, CNN and the Distill Foundation alongside social entrepreneurs and business school Deans demonstrated and discussed the role MBAs and management education can play in changing the world of business.
The conference was attended by MBA graduates and alumni from AMBA-accredited business schools chosen to be Global AMBAssadors. The 33 Global AMBAssadors are from 24 accredited business schools across the world, including Australia, China, New Zealand, South Africa, Italy, France and UK and nationalities including Vietnamese, Swiss, Pakistani and Indian.
"Together the Global AMBAssadors will create a platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and engagement with MBAs, business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators across the world," said Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, Chief Operating Officer, the Association of MBAs. "They also represent the benefit of quality education and accredited MBAs."
John Powell, Director of the University of Stellenbosch who hosted the conference and spoke on leadership said: "Events like this are crucial in championing ethical and innovative leadership, as well as building networks among the South African and global MBA communities.
In his opening keynote address, Vernon de Vries, Director of Corporate Affairs, Distell Foundation said "values are at the core of humanity and values-based leadership needs to permeate the whole company."
In a discussion on values and ethics Kim Norgaard, CNN's South Africa Bureaux Chief said "To stay ahead of the game, don't wander from your core principles."
NASA's Nicholas Skytland told the audience of MBA alumni and students: "We have a responsibility as leaders to think differently about our role in society." The NASA Project Manager oversees innovation through mass collaboration, by encouraging new partnerships between government, industry, academia and the general public.
Social entrepreneur Sameer Hajee said "innovation is about incentivising everyone - from the customer to the employee and the entrepreneurs." The CEO of Nuru Energy, founded his company on the simple recognition that the poorest in the world have least access to electricity. He created an alternative electricity source powered by human energy which is now distributed in Rwanda and Kenya.
In a survey conducted by AMBA during the conference, the MBA delegates said that the top three topics to be included in the MBA curricula over the next five years should be global business, responsible management and strategy. The survey also revealed the AMBAssadors' global outlook with each MBA graduate expecting to work in four different countries during the next five years.
"Our goal is to link the MBA pioneers of accredited, quality business schools all over the world to develop a strong global network that shares the same vision and values," said Global AMBAssador, Anca Mandruleanu, an MBA student from Kingston Business School. "The conference has revealed the Global AMBAssadors' commitment towards responsible, values based leadership and our common engagement to make a change in the business environment across every country."
The Global AMBAssador Programme is a service offered by AMBA to all accredited business schools to help improve their engagement with alumni, MBA seekers and employers. The aim of the programme, which launched in 2012, is to create a worldwide accredited MBA alumni network championed by the AMBAssadors. During the year the first group of AMBAssadors have held networking events in their countries and connected online with the MBA and business communities.
About the Association of MBAs
The Association of MBAs is the international impartial authority on postgraduate business education. Established in 1967, it sets the global standard for accrediting MBA, DBA and MBM programmes. The Association currently accredits more than 800 MBA, DBA and MBM programmes at 201 business schools in 70 countries worldwide. The Association of MBAs is also a professional membership association connecting MBA students and graduates, accredited business schools and MBA employers in more than 110 countries. It provides research on postgraduate management education and offers pre-MBA students an online guide to choosing an MBA at http://www.ambaguide.com.
SOURCE Association of MBAs