The award-winning Strathclyde Business School was one of the first universities to run a one-year full time MBA programme and also partners with international centres to offer a part-time Executive MBA course. Strathclyde was also the first university to embed the prestigious Chartered Manager (CMgr) award into their programme.
A positive partnership
Lesley Pender, Director of MBA Programmes, explains why Strathclyde decided to partner with CMI. “We chose CMI to accredit our MBA programme because we already had a very positive existing relationship with them and there was an opportunity to add value to our learners by continuing that relationship.”
Jane Hammond, MBA Careers and Employability Consultant at Strathclyde, agrees that it’s been hugely beneficial.
The CMI partnership has greatly increased our student recruitment. Learners gain an additional industry-recognised qualification when graduating, which they just love. They also have access to the amazing resources that CMI offers, which helps to keep their skills and knowledge current.
Practical skills and competencies
One of the main advantages of CMI Accredited courses is that the curriculum is geared towards equipping students with skills and competencies which they can use in real-life situations.
This was a big draw for Strathclyde MBA student Le Thi Phuong Thao.
I chose the CMI Dual Accredited programme because most other courses focus solely on the academic theory, but this combines it with practical skills that can be applied directly to the workplace. I’m not just learning about management, I’m learning how to lead effectively in real-life scenarios.
Practical CMI resources
Learners on all CMI Dual Accredited programmes have complimentary access to a wide range of e-learning tools and resources, along with mentoring and networking opportunities.
These not only enhance their learning outcomes, but also help them in real-world situations. Sumit Thakur is currently studying an MBA at Strathclyde and recalls how CMI’s resources helped him overcome a challenge at work.
“Initially I struggled with leading a team of diverse people. So I fell back on some of the practical tools CMI offers to learn how to manage them in the best way possible”, he says.
It’s easy to get lost with abstract business and management concepts, but the CMI resources provide a clear way to understand how these concepts work in practice. I was also struggling with how to structure a project, but CMI helped me to create a project management framework which enabled me to approach the problem in a systematic way.
Accelerating careers
This mix of theoretical and practical elements means that CMI Dual Accredited programmes have been shown to significantly support employability success. Not only are learners industry-ready when they graduate, the additional CMI qualification they gain helps them to stand out in the competitive job market.
“The fact that they get a recognised certification along with their MBA really helps,” says Jane. “It adds a real boost to their employability status. They understand what’s expected of them out there in industry, and what leaders look for when they’re hiring for their new management team. Soft skills are massively important, and a lot of the CMI resources help to develop those.”
Standing out from the crowd
Lesley agrees that CMI accreditation has helped her learners thrive after graduating. “The CMI partnership and Dual Accreditation has influenced our students significantly post-qualifying. We’ve had feedback that it helped them to secure job offers and go on to be promoted once in those roles. We believe that has a strong word of mouth influence on future applicants. The Chartered Manager (CMgr) status they gain as part of the programme
is incredibly important. Having that on their CV, along with the additional CMI qualification, differentiates them from other applicants with an MBA.”
From a student perspective, Thau is confident that having a CMI Accredited MBA, along with Chartered Manager status, will increase her career potential.
It’ll definitely have a positive impact on my employment prospects. These days, employers are looking for candidates that are not only academically qualified, but also understand how to manage people and can demonstrate those practical skills which are a critical aspect of leadership. I’d say to any prospective students out there that choosing a CMI Dual Accredited programme is one of the best decisions you can make for your future.