The forum provided business school leaders and staff with a unique opportunity to gain new knowledge on how to improve the quality of teaching in their schools and build a strong international reputation. By the way, the Association has been sharing its experience and innovations in the international arena for more than 50 years. During the forum, AMBA and BGA experts shared how BGA's Continuous Impact Model (CIM) and accreditation can be used to improve a school's value proposition for its stakeholders.
The Business Graduates Association is an international membership and quality assurance body for the world's leading business schools with high potential. AMBA&BGA CEO Andrew Main Wilson, speaking to the audience, invited participants to join the BGA to start as members and then become BGA accredited schools, noting that membership in the Association is absolutely free.
“We strive to raise the prestige and quality standards of business education at the international level for the benefit of business schools, students, MBA graduates, employers and society. We are ready to work with all schools, provided they meet the BGA membership criteria. MBA graduates can become members of the community and join 65,000 other participants around the world,” said Andrew Main Wilson. According to him, the Association also offers other tools for gaining knowledge, such as online webinars, podcasts, Ambition Magazine and Business Impact.
It should be noted that the only educational institution accredited by AMBA and BGA in the Central Asian region is the Kazakh Higher School of Business AlmaU.
“AlmaU is proud to be the only educational institution in Central Asia and the Asian part of the CIS that has been accredited by AMBA since 2013. BGA accreditation was granted to our school and AlmaU School of Hospitality and Tourism in 2021. And this forum just gives the opportunity for regional schools to immerse themselves in global accreditation standards and learn more about how to increase their prestige,” said AlmaU President Asylbek Kozhakhmetov. He also invited the audience to join the Rector's Club+, emphasizing that Central Asia is an advantage, which is a platform for networking and allows you to join forces in an effort to obtain international accreditation.
Following the rector of Kimyo International University in Tashkent, Zhanpolat Kudaibergenov spoke about the rapidly growing population of Uzbekistan, and that there is a shortage of educational institutions.
“We opened in 2018. Our first release was last year. We are the first private university in Uzbekistan. However, we are growing at a fast pace. I came to this forum in order to cooperate with Kazakh universities. Because we have a lot in common. The exchange of experience in the field of international accreditation, I think, will give positive results to both parties.”
The example of colleagues from other schools who shared their stories of formation was indicative. Thus, the representative of the School of Management of the University of Bradford Natalie Wilmot and the rector of AlmaU Gulnar Kurenkeyeva told the success stories of their educational institutions. At the same time, Gulnar Kurenkeeva focused on the peculiarities of the region. “Central Asia is a very promising region and we have many opportunities for collaboration. However, there are also challenges - the growth of the student population and low recognition in the global arena," the rector of AlmaU believes.
Viktor Hedenberg, Director of AMBA and BGA Membership, confirms her words:
“It so happened that Central Asia was somewhat forgotten in the global network of business schools. However, I note that the Ministry of Science and Higher Education is very actively working to turn Kazakhstan into an educational hub. There is a rapid population growth here and therefore many schools are turning their attention to Central Asia, so we expect further improvement in the quality of schools in Central Asia. And AlmaU will become a school that will inspire other institutions not only in Kazakhstan, but throughout Central Asia.”⠀