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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has officially received accreditation from The Association of MBAs (AMBA), one of the leading authorities on postgraduate business education.

The Association of MBAs (AMBA) accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement in postgraduate business education and is earned only by the best postgraduate management programmes. AMBA accredits the Master of Business Administration (MBA) courses in less than the top 5% of the world’s business schools.

AMBA’s rigorous assessment criteria ensure that only highest-calibre programmes which demonstrate the best standards in teaching, curriculum, and student interaction achieve Association of MBAs accreditation. AMBA accreditation is international in scope and reach and we work with senior academics at top educational institutions around the world to continuously update accreditation criteria and maintain one unique, in-depth and detailed approach.

AMBA believes accredited programmes should be of the highest standard and reflect changing trends and innovation in postgraduate management education and as such the accreditation process reflects this commitment to fostering innovation and challenges business schools to continuously perform at the highest level.

Prof. Kalok Chan, Dean of CUHK Business School and Wei Lun Professor of Finance of CUHK said: ‘I’m delighted that our MBA Programmes have attained the AMBA accreditation, thereby joining an elite group of less than 5% of the world’s top business schools. The accreditation is a testimony to our continuous efforts in responding to dynamic market needs with the introduction of a new curriculum and courses with the necessary learning experiences that benefits our students.’

As a pioneer in business education, CUHK Business School launched its MBA programmes, the first of its kind in Asia, in 1966. Over the past 50 years, CUHK MBA programmes, offering through full-time and part-time modes, have attracted highly motivated individuals who have the vision to further accelerate their careers through a wide range of leadership trainings and global learning opportunities.

The Executive MBA (EMBA) programme at CUHK Business School launched in 1993 is also the first of its kind in Hong Kong. With the aim of nurturing top-notch management talents to meet the needs of Greater China and the world, CUHK EMBA follows the university’s global vision and mission “to combine tradition and modernity, and bring together China and the West”. To keep pace with the dynamics of the marketplace, the programme continues to introduce new courses and learning experiences to its students.

The first-of-its-kind MBA Programme in Finance (FMBA) is jointly offered by CUHK in collaboration with the Tsinghua University in China. Leveraging on the academic expertise from both universities across three strategic locations of China (Beijing, Shenzhen and Hong Kong), the programme aims to nurture a new generation of finance professionals to seize the opportunities arising from the rapid growth of the China financial market. Since its launch in 2000, FMBA has nurtured over 1,000 students, many of whom are key business leaders in China.

The School received 11 commendations from the visiting panel, which was composed of Professor Andrew Lock from the UK, Professor Bodo Schlegelmilch from Austria, Professor Zhongming Wang from China and George Iliev, AMBA’s Director of Development Markets from the UK.

The panel highlighted areas of excellence such as the School’s focus on entrepreneurship, strong performance in research and international rankings, robust career placement figures and a successful partnership with Tsinghua University in Mainland China.

George Iliev, Director of Development Markets at AMBA, said:

‘CUHK Business School brings two novel aspects to the AMBA accreditation process and reach: the first accredited Juris Doctor/MBA programme (for which AMBA accredits the MBA component) and the first double-degree MBA in Finance among the over 1,000 programmes that AMBA has accredited around the world.

‘The innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of the School and its leadership team is also evident in the newly developed “Flex” blended-learning format of MBA delivery, which allows students to take some of the course content on campus and some of it online.’

AMBA Chief Executive Andrew Main Wilson added:

‘AMBA is a truly global business organisation and the only accrediting body that specifically focuses on accrediting MBA programmes.

‘We are very particular about who we accredit. In fact, AMBA accredits less than 5% of the world entire portfolio of business schools. Operating as both an accreditation and membership organisation, AMBA is unique in the postgraduate management field, as we bring together the business leaders of tomorrow with the thought leaders of today.

‘With its accreditation CUHK joins the world’s leading business schools. We value working closely with them and AMBA’s MBA members to ensure outstanding postgraduate management education continues to be the top priority for employers, governments and ambitious executives who will become the global business leaders of the future.’

Upon receiving AMBA accreditation, all current MBA students and recent alumni of CUHK are invited to join AMBA’s global member community of more than 27,200 students and alumni in more than 150 countries, for networking, thought leadership, career development and a variety of perks and benefits.

Notes to Editors

• CUHK Business School comprises two schools – Accountancy and Hotel and Tourism Management – and four departments – Decision Sciences and Managerial Economics, Finance, Management and Marketing.
• Established in Hong Kong in 1963, CUHK Business School is the first business school to offer BBA, MBA and Executive MBA programs in the region. Today, the School offers 8 undergraduate programmes and 13 graduate programmes including MBA, EMBA, Master, MSc, MPhil and PhD.
• In the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2017, CUHK MBA is ranked 36th. In FT‘s 2016 EMBA ranking, CUHK EMBA was ranked 37th in the world.
• CUHK Business School currently has about 4,400 undergraduate and postgraduate students and has the largest number of business alumni (32,000+) in Hong Kong, many of whom are key business leaders. Website: http://www.bschool.cuhk.edu.hk
• AMBA currently accredits programmes at over 245 business schools in more than 85 different countries. AMBA is the only professional membership association connecting MBA students and graduates, accredited business schools and MBA employers in more than 150 countries.
• For students, the decision to take an MBA represents a major commitment, both in terms of time and money. In a crowded and complex market, our accreditation provides a reliable list of meticulously tested programmes and ensures that students’ investments are rewarded with the finest business education available, which will have a demonstrable impact on their careers.
• Employers looking to acquire the best managers and future business leaders know that graduates of our accredited programmes have received the highest quality and most relevant management education. To recruit a graduate from one of our accredited programmes is to recruit top talent.
• Accreditation provides business schools with international credibility and status. The number of MBA qualifications available worldwide is now in the thousands, but only a small percentage of these would achieve accreditation if they were submitted to our rigorous international criteria. AMBA accreditation identifies programmes as the best available. The developmental nature of our accreditation process often helps business schools spot potential shortcomings in their programmes, and our comprehensive and consultative report outlines recommendations for improving provision in the future.
• AMBA Membership means that MBA Graduates can network with one another, knowing that they are connecting with individuals from the best global MBA programmes. Our member services provided to graduates from AMBA accredited business schools include careers support, job portals, networking opportunities, access to the latest research, events and training. MBA graduates know that AMBA accreditation opens doors and opportunities for them.
• Find out more at www.mbaworld.com