LONDON, July 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Applications and enrolments in MBA programmes have increased worldwide and in the UK more students are enrolling in part-time MBAs, according to new research from the Association of MBAs released at a press briefing in London today.

The Association of MBAs' (AMBA) Intake and Graduation Research showed an increase in MBA applications and enrolments to AMBA-accredited business schools worldwide, with 20% more students applying and 10% more students enrolling on AMBA-accredited MBA programmes across the world.

Speaking at AMBA's press event on Tuesday 3 July, Sharon Bamford, Chief Executive, said, "Professionals continue to see the value in the MBA as a career enhancement. In the UK's developed MBA market there is a continued trend towards flexible learning, as the part-time MBA attracts a growing number of applicants and distance-learning is the most popular type of MBA."

"Worldwide, AMBA's research shows there is a significant increase in students choosing to study MBAs in growth markets such as China and Latin America," she added.

The annual research found that enrolments in part-time MBA programmes at UK business schools accredited by AMBA had increased by 16% in 2011, with each business school seeing an average increase of 13% compared to the previous year.

The research also showed the number of applications onto part-time courses taught by UK schools overseas more than doubled and enrolments increased by 72% compared with the previous year.

According to the research, 44% of part-time enrolments were on UK business school programmes taught outside the UK in 2011, compared to 28% the previous year.

AMBA's UK Intake and Graduation Report also showed more students enrolled in distance-learning programmes than any other mode of delivery, in the last three years. In 2011, 2,065 students enrolled on distance-learning MBAs whereas 2,017 enrolled on full-time MBA - this is 29% more than full-time and 26% more than part-time.

In the UK, the full-time MBA remains the most popular mode of study for MBA applicants with the Intake and Graduation Report showing 65% apply to a full-time course at business schools accredited by AMBA.

AMBA's research shows 62% of UK business schools accredited by AMBA have seen full-time MBA enrolments decrease by an average of 15%. However, the percentage of people who apply and then enroll remains the same, confirming the world-class postgraduate business education institutions are not compromising on quality in their MBA programmes.

"Approximately 90% of the students on a full-time MBA in the UK are international, so it is understandable that factors such as the UK economy, immigration and the growth in high quality MBA education in their own countries are starting to have an impact on enrolments to full-time MBAs in the UK," said Sharon Bamford.

There are 191 business schools worldwide with MBA programmes accredited by AMBA. There were a total of 120,000 enrolments in accredited MBA programmes across the world, with 25% of these in Europe, 23% in Latin America, 20% in the UK, while enrolments in China were 15% of the total figure, in Russia 5% and in Australasia 3.5%.

In 2011, more than 26,000 students applied to study for an MBA at an accredited UK business school and 8,000 students were enrolled onto a course. These enrolments generate a total of £175 million for UK business schools. According to AMBA's annual list of scholarships, the UK accredited business schools offer a total of £4 million in MBA scholarships.

The Association of MBAs' annual Intake and Graduation Research Series analyses the applications, offers, enrolments and graduations from accredited MBA programmes worldwide. The 2012 report is based on numbers from the 2011 business school year.

The total figures for MBA programmes in the UK in 2011 were 41 business schools, 26,090 applications, 13,484 offers made, 8,081 enrolments and 7,472 graduations.  

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 650 MBA programmes in 191 schools in 75 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. For more information, please visit http://www.mbaworld.com.

SOURCE Association of MBAs