Category Archives: Universities

The ICMA Centre Announces Promotion For Dr Adrian Bell

Dr Bell will be promoted to Professor on 1 October this year. Dr Bell, who has been with the ICMA Centre since 1994, has been instrumental in the development of both the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in his role as School Director of Teaching and Learning. He also developed the distance-learning option for the ICMA Centre’s suite of Masters in Finance degrees with the Centre’s New Media Solutions Manager – the first distance learning Masters in Finance degrees in the UK delivered using e-lectures.

Professor John Board, Director of the Centre commented: “This is excellent news both for Dr Bell and for the Centre. It is very well deserved and recognizes the significant contribution Dr Bell has made to the development of the Centre.”

Dr Bell’s primary research interest is in the history of finance and he is currently working on a major project funded by the ESRC with Professor Chris Brooks (Chair in Finance) which will investigate the early and innovative use of credit finance by a succession of English medieval monarchs. This three-year project, which ends this year, is detailed on the ICMA website and builds upon the work the same team carried out during 2004/5 for another ESRC project entitled “Modern Finance in the Middle Ages? Advance Contracts for the Supply of Wool”. For outputs, interested parties can visit the UK Data Archive, study number 5325, at www.data-archive.ac.uk.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Infinite Courses – An Education Portal Which Caters To Every Need Of Students in India

Mehan Edusolutions Pvt. Ltd., a company promoted by first entrepreneur, Mr. Rajnish Mehan has launched an education portal by the name of www.infinitecourses.com with a main objective of bridging the gap between an education seeker and education provider. Infinite Courses is an honest endeavor launched to effectively address the concern of the greater than ever student/ education seeker population. Infinite courses aptly acknowledge that there is a plethora of career alternatives and courses out there in the open world; the only hindrance is the verdict of right career conduit and the right institutes to pursue that aim.

In India, there exists a ubiquitous fissure amid education seekers and education providers. Infinite Courses is an effort to bridge this gap. The common quandaries in the mind of an Indian student concerning education are: – What is my aim in life? Which course should I pursue to get on to the right path? What are the job opportunities in that particular segment? Will I land a high paying job? One can find pertinent answers to these queries at Infinite courses.com as their experts will assist you online.

Students from every genre can access this wonderful education portal to find the right kind of educational guidance as it proffers an all inclusive database of courses and institutes from all over the globe. Infinite courses comprehend the fact that Career choice can be tough without apt guidance and the right direction and put forth the latest news and edification guidance for students who are unsure of their next step. Infinite courses acts as a one of its kind ‘well thought out’ resourceful site which has made genuine endeavors in curtailing the colossal hitches experienced by students pertaining to higher education.

Along with being a database of best courses and top universities, colleges & institutes, Infinite courses also provide ingenious information on list of distance education providers, coaching institutes, study abroad info, education consultants and an assortment of edifying resources such as Education Articles, Education Blogs, Community Groups, Education forums, etc. It is essentially a one stop destination for all your education related queries. When it comes to top educational institutions in India, you will find a lot of Government universities, Private colleges, Deemed universities, open universities, distance learning institutes, agricultural colleges, etc.

Infinite Courses proffer apt direction pertaining to the Top universities in India which encompass both government and private institutions. Some of the Top Universities in India are: – All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjab University, Delhi University (DU), Symbiosis International University, Amity University, Aligarh Muslim University, Anna University, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Bangalore University, Annamalai University, etc.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Appoints Professor Board, ICMA Centre Director, As Its New Dean

Henley Business School has announced that Professor John Board will become its new dean from 1 October 2010.

Professor Board is currently director of the ICMA Centre – the business school for financial markets at Henley Business School.

Professor Board is an outstanding academic in his own right with a strong track record in research, his expertise is sought in a number of areas including market regulation, transparency, derivatives and emerging markets.

Over the past five years, Professor Board has helped to build the ICMA Centre into one of the largest specialist education finance schools in Europe, with an international reputation for undergraduate, postgraduate (including eight Finance Masters) and executive education.

He has also been instrumental in the development of a range of specialist finance degrees including the MSc Capital Markets, Regulation and Compliance and the MSc Investment Banking and Islamic finance, which were both firsts in the UK.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School and Lane4 Develop Business Coaching Programme

New research from Henley Business School and the performance development consultancy Lane4 has highlighted how team coaching is being used successfully to improve business performance – but also how much further it has to go.

The survey, ‘Coaching Teams At Work: Embryonic Yet Powerful’, reveals that almost half of the organisations surveyed (45%) use both individual and team coaching and there are some glowing endorsements of the impact it has. The top benefit is increased employee engagement at 28%. Other benefits include improved trust within the team (22%), increased productivity (19%) and more effective and innovative solutions (18%).

However, more than half the organisations surveyed don’t use team coaching, for four main reasons: managers haven’t had any training in team coaching (32%), managers don’t understand the benefits of team coaching (31%), managers don’t feel confident coaching their teams (25%) and some feel their teams object to being coached (13%).

Dr Patricia Bossons, director of the Henley Centre for Coaching & Facilitation, said that this can be overcome: “Managers sometimes perceive coaching to be something done by people outside the business to people inside the business – just as in sports’ coaching where the coach is not normally a player as well. In business however, managers are now required to be player-coaches – a role many have not received training for – this is something we need to address if the obvious benefits of team coaching are to be more widely felt.”

To address these issues and make the powerful benefits of team coaching in a business context more accessible Henley Business School and Lane4 have developed, and will deliver, a new programme, Coaching High Performance Teams, from October 2010. The partnership will leverage the two organisations’ combined academic rigour and experience of coaching teams in a business environment as well as Lane4’s heritage in Olympic sport and expertise in performance psychology.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Pioneers of the Essay Industry Split with Controversial Brand

15 years ago, Jens Schriver and Maximo Migliari, just youngsters at the time, launched an essay site with the contentious name Cheathouse.com. It instantly caused a commotion within the academic community where the assumption was made that such an initiative was unethical by nature and could only encourage dishonest conduct.

”We should have gone with the name WriteWork instead of Cheathouse from the beginning. But back then we thought it was catchy – we were just kids with no clue of what was in store for us. We’ve grown up since then and so has our business.” Says co-founder Maximo Migliari.

The essay site promptly caught the interest of the international press and all of a sudden Schriver and Migliari were featured on CNN, BBC and NPR.

As a reaction to the poor public labeling, the two founders resolved to find out for themselves whether their members actually were using the essay site for cheating.

Personal interviews were carried out and hundreds of members filled out questionnaires. The results showed clearly that a minor portion planned to use the essay site for plagiarism while the vast majority actually perceived the site as a legitimate academic resource that assisted them in finding primary sources and improving their grades.

What is more, the study showed that the minority with dishonorable intentions were mostly high school students – an interesting aspect when considering that the main audience was university and college students.

“Maximo and I are perfect examples that getting inspiration from essay examples doesn’t necessarily facilitate plagiarism and cheating. We both have university degrees and during the years we spent studying neither of us ever turned in an assignment that wasn’t original – despite the fact that we were running one of the most comprehensive essay resources in the world.” Says co-founder Jens Schriver

Since then, Schriver and Migliari have focused their resources on tuning their site to earnest university and college students – changing the name to WriteWork is an crucial step in the right direction.

Among the new features that will be appear on WriteWork in the near future is a collection of outlines for writing essays, research papers and book reports as well as a guide for citations and bibliographies.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

The University of Florida Launches Online Master of Arts in Art Education

The University of Florida (UF) College of Fine Arts announces the new online Master of Arts in Art Education degree program online with classes to begin this month.

UF’s online Master’s in Art Education program develops art educators, artists, and art advocates who are uniquely positioned to thrive in varied modern learning environments as transformative art educators. The program’s unique curriculum emphasizes the development of teaching techniques alongside studio courses that challenge students to develop their art, learn new art making techniques, and methods of instruction. Through the program, students discover and explore ways that digital technologies can be used to deliver impactful art learning experiences.

The program’s online format delivers a robust educational experience that is flexible and accessible for working professionals who need to work while completing their degree.

“Our students will be engaged in a high-tech, high-touch educational environment, with rich studio experiences in traditional and digital media. Without compromising the traditional humanity of art making, our graduates will empower students to express themselves in ways not possible before,” said Professor Craig Roland of the University of Florida.

In addition to the traditional curriculum, the online Masters in Art Education program offers the Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) Track, which prepares individuals to receive teaching certification in Florida’s public schools. For more information, please visit the program’s new website at http://www.education.arts.ufl.edu.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Reveals Ideal Leadership Qualities

Henley Business School has released a collaborative paper from five leading academics who offer their individual perspectives on the emerging task for business leaders in particular.

Henley Business School Reveals Ideal Leadership Qualities

This second series of essays, following on from the 2009 ‘Henley Manifesto’ on leadership, focuses specifically on the emerging leadership task, post-recession. The series was written independently by five academics; Professor Chris Bones, Dean of Henley Business School, Professor Dominic Swords, Professor John Board, Director of the ICMA Centre, Professor Brian Scott-Quinn and Professor Peter Hawkins, Professor of Leadership.

There are several common themes that emerge from each writer’s contribution to the paper. One of these themes is the belief that there will be a renewed emphasis on sincere, genuine, transparent, values-based leadership should This means the leader needs to empathise with values that reflect the priorities of all the stakeholders; employees, shareholders, community and society at large.

There should be a collaborative nature to leadership with the recognition that one person does not and should not hold all the answers or power. There is a need for robust governance and this should be backed by corporate structures that enforce that governance.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Education Loan Source, Inc. Launches Private Student Loan Program For Louviers Federal Credit Union

Education Loan Source, Inc. (ELS), a leading provider of education financial solutions, is proud to announce the launch of a private student loan program customized specifically for members of Louviers Federal Credit Union (LFCU).

Education Loan Source, Inc. Launches Private Student Loan Program For Louviers Federal Credit Union

“Our credit union conducted a thorough review of three student loan programs and decided that ELS was the best solution for us. We chose ELS based upon their ability to fully customize our program to meet the unique needs of our membership and existing school relationships as well as their extensive knowledge of the student loan industry. ELS is great to work with – they have maintained excellent lines of communication to keep us informed and educated from start to finish and have quickly responded to meet our needs,” says Bob Walls, Director of Human Resources and Special Projects for LFCU.

The Custom Loan Source SM (CLS) Program offered by ELS provides credit unions with the opportunity to develop their own customized student loan without the need for additional staffing or resources. CLS is a turn-key student loan solution which includes every aspect of the student loan process including set-up, administration, marketing, branded online application, loan processing, underwriting, certification and disbursement with colleges and universities, loan servicing, and portfolio management.

According to Tracy Sniscak, SVP – Business Development for ELS, “CLS is a perfect fit for LFCU as it allows the credit union to bring their own corporate lending standards and philosophies to an education loan program. LFCU was able to set their own rates and fees, and define their own school list. The credit union has an existing relationship with the University of Delaware and this new program will allow them to continue to offer financial assistance to the students there as well as at other regional schools. It’s been a pleasure to help them create and develop a program that meets the needs of their members.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Reveals HR Paying Lip Service To Coaching

Henley Business School has revealed the results of its Corporate Learning Priorities survey which shows coaching remains high up the list of development priorities for 2010. However, while 61% of respondents said developing a coaching culture was one of their top 5 priorities, only 9% made it their 1st or 2nd priority.

Henley has suggested that this reflects an uncertainty about how to go about creating a coaching culture and concern as to whether the senior team will support the initiative. In addition, a quarter of respondents made ‘developing leadership coaching skills’ their first or second priority.

Dr Patricia Bossons, Director of Coaching Services at Henley Business School, commented: “I am hearing from clients and students alike that coaching has never been more important since it helps maintain clarity and resourcefulness in people driving business recovery. The fact that so many in the survey recognize the importance of coaching yet few appear to make it a high priority may be because coaching is seen as a process, rather than a specific ‘management development‘ area, such as strategic thinking or managing change. It is also still perceived by many to be something that lies in the hands of HR, or external coaches, so coaching skills development can easily be seen as someone else’s responsibility.”

She added: “Coaching can be the ‘oil’ that enables the rest of a management development agenda deliver tangible outcomes and results. A senior strategic leadership programme for example, is going to have much longer lasting impact, and a much greater return on investment, if each individual is supported by an independent coach as they go through their programme. Individuals recognize this, which is why the statistics in the research show leadership coaching skills development as a high priority.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Searches Increase for Healthcare Management Degrees on Emagister.net

The primary focus this year for most businesses including healthcare facilities is cost control. Business professionals holding Healthcare Management degrees are needed to help control costs, run cost efficient facilities, improve patient care and create profitable businesses. Additional variables such as looming healthcare reforms, aging baby boomers and the growing population all contribute to the need for highly educated professionals. Recent searches on emagister.net for healthcare management and Healthcare Administration degrees confirm the trend for increased job market opportunities available to those with the right skills and training.

Even with a slacking economy where most businesses have lost capital and job positions, the healthcare industry has managed to expand. The most successful healthcare managers are business oriented, natural leaders, well organized and most importantly sympathetic individuals with a desire to help people. Healthcare facilities recognize the need for skilled workers to fill these management roles and offer one of the most competitive salary rates on the market. The result is the rise in popularity for degrees specializing in healthcare management and administration. Emagister.net offers both on-campus and online degrees from Universities such as Kaplan University, Globe University and Ashford University who are benefitting from the current trend. Online degrees make earning your healthcare management degree more attainable than ever, especially for those individuals who for personal obligations such as family and work would otherwise be unable to complete their degree.

Emagister.net was launched in 2009 as an education resource for individuals looking to better themselves through education. Run by experts in the education industry, Emagister is currently serving 11 countries with 3 more planned launches in the second quarter of 2010. Emagister is well on its way of becoming the World’s Education Pathfinder.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Launches New Themed Corporate Finance MBA

Henley Executive MBA applicants can from this year onwards choose to take advantage of the exceptional scope of expertise offered by Henley through a range of themed MBAs. These themed MBAs are designed for experienced, practising managers who are looking for a world renowned general management MBA but with a particular application to three different industries – corporate finance, construction management and real estate.

Henley Launches New Themed Corporate Finance MBA

The three different themed MBAs are delivered via collaboration between the industry respected schools of Henley – the International Capital Markets Association (ICMA) Centre, the School of Real Estate and Planning and the School of Construction Management from the University of Reading.

Participants will study as part of the executive MBA programme and follow the core curriculum whilst periodically studying tailored modules bespoke to their subject theme at appropriate points in time.

Associate Professor Susan Rose, the Associate Head of the School of Management responsible for The Henley MBA, said: “I am delighted to work in collaboration with colleagues of the Henley Business School and The University of Reading who have such strong industry connections and reputations in their respective fields. This enables us to offer MBA participants something really different. The themed programmes provide the best of both worlds for those who want general managerial development whilst applying it to the very specific challenges of their sector and thereby demonstrating commitment to their organisation.”

The Henley Executive MBA is a two year part-time programme aimed at aspiring senior managers who wish to develop their management competency as well as focus on their own personal development, alongside their full-time employment.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley MBA Bursary Supports Great Women Managers

Henley Business School has launched its annual range of scholarships and bursaries for the Henley full-time and executive MBA 2010 intakes.

This year, the scholarships are designed to reward real academic merit and will be offered to the four candidates across both modes of study who can bring most academic value to the programmes. Each scholarship is worth 50% of the full fee.

The bursaries however are designed to support the very special mix of experience and backgrounds characteristic of those studying for the Henley MBA. Ten candidates will be offered the 50% bursary from those applying from a variety backgrounds including emerging markets, the public sector, the voluntary sector, SMEs or if they are women in business.

The Henley scholarships and bursaries are only open to those who are 100% self sponsored and the closing date for both is Monday 12th April 2010. The Henley Executive and Full-time MBA both start autumn 2010.

Director of MBA Recruitment Ashley Arnold says: “The Henley MBA is designed for experienced managers from around the world and from every industry. Every year we meet a fantastic mix of great people, all with something to share.

“I am delighted that this year the scholarships and bursaries support that combination which ensures a very special learning experience for all.”

The Henley MBA is for experienced, practicing managers seeking a world-class MBA programme that will develop potential and prepare those studying the course for a senior management position.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Research by Reed Learning Shows Managers Need Help To Get Their Teams Re-Motivated

Managers are struggling to deal with de-motivated, stressed and underperforming team members, according to research by business training company Reed Learning.

Research by Reed Learning Shows Managers Need Help To Get Their Teams Re-Motivated

Comparison of over 400 managers in 2009 vs 2008 showed a rise of over 50% in managers seeking help with challenging people issues.

Managers cited dealing with difficult people, techniques to motivate their team and ways to reduce stress in others as key learning goals in 2009. In comparison, managers in 2008 were looking for more general skills in delegation, communication, and a basic grounding in management techniques.

Reed Learning has provided training courses to over 20,000 new managers in the past 10 years and offers some suggestions on keeping people buoyant when the economy sinks:

1. Spa days and Hawaiian junkets may be out for the time being, so think about affordable perks. See what goods or services you can barter with local vendors – even just eating lunch together can boost morale.

2. No news isn’t good news. Keep people u p d a t e d on the progress of the business as well as their personal performance. Make sure people understand how their contribution makes a difference.

3. Set realistic goals – and invite people to contribute to objective target setting. Give people personal opportunities to learn and take on new responsibilities.

4. Find the silver lining. For many companies the downturn is an opportunity to pull away f r o m the competition, take market share and try something innovative.

5. Most people want to make a contribution to society. Think about setting up links with local schools or with community organisations..

6. Make people feel they are part of something important by going up for an award or generating press coverage for your company.

7. ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’. Don’t worry too much. Enthusiasm is contagious. Motivate yourself and you will motivate others.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Responds To The Way Businesses Want To Learn

Henley Business School has launched its new Executive Education Portfolio which features 13 brand new programmes designed to meet the challenges of today’s economic uncertainty, in response to both the results of its recent Corporate Learning Priorities survey and to expert feedback from its own Faculty.

Henley Business School Responds To The Way Businesses Want To Learn

“The learning & development professionals who responded to the survey gave us a clear indication of their ‘worry list’ for 2010.” explained Linda Irwin, Executive Director, Corporate Development. “They want to focus on leadership development – both of senior and middle managers, managing change and developing high potentials. For renewal, regeneration and recovery, continued investment in all talent is the only sustainable option and the big emphasis seems to be on continuing to develop leaders holistically to make the right choices; for themselves, their organisations and for the wider society. Skills that respond to the new business zeitgeist feature in this research – areas of such huge importance for global, 21st century responsible leadership; innovation, sustainability and rebuilding trust with all stakeholders. This reinforced the views of our Faculty and conversations with our existing corporate clients and our Alumni. We have designed this new Portfolio specifically to meet those needs.”

The survey also indicated what is important to businesses when choosing an executive education programme. 76% said reputation was extremely important, as was inclusion of recent, original research to 86% or respondents.

“This is not surprising,” reflected Linda Irwin, “Providing innovative and impactful programme design based upon relevant and rigorous research is the main differentiator between business school provision of L & D solutions and that of many other providers.”

Many respondents said that partnering where appropriate with external experts and guest speakers was significant for 88% or respondents. “Businesses expect that we stay close to our markets; both through our research, through practitioner Faculty and by collaborating with the best industry speakers and expert contributors where relevant”, suggested Irwin. The use of up to date case studies was key to 65% of respondents and use of experiential learning and a focus on soft skills to 57%. 71% also cited the environment where the training will take place as quite important to them.

With little time to spare away from the office 53% of respondents indicated that for open programmes 2-3 days are optimal while 18% stated ‘the shorter the better’. However, 27% thought programmes ‘should be as long as the learning objectives require’ – revealing scope for longer interventions where a case for them can be made.

Irwin commented, “Our new executive education portfolio reflects the respondents views; shorter, incisive, knowledge-led 2 day interventions on issues such as commercial insight for HR, systemic innovation and managing reputation and longer, more experiential management programmes on leadership and coaching for example, which offer opportunities to change behaviour at a deeper lever.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Reveals Results Of Corporate Learning Priorities Survey 2010

Henley Business School has revealed that developing the leadership skills of middle managers and equipping them to manage change are among the top learning and development priorities for organisations in 2010, according to the Corporate Learning Priorities Survey 2010 carried out by Henley’s Corporate Development team.

Respondents indicated a significant focus on leadership development in 2010, particularly at middle management level. They also anticipate focusing on high-potentials as they grow and develop to lead their businesses into an uncertain future. One respondent commented they were placing, “Change even higher on the agenda in 2010” and 67% of respondents chose ‘Managing Change’ as a specific development priority for managers.

The survey, amongst 2,500 HR and learning development professionals, was designed to
provide an up-to-date perspective of the executive education and development landscape. Over 60% of those completing the survey were HR Directors, Vice-Presidents or Heads of HR or Learning & Development in some of the UK’s largest employers.

Linda Irwin, Executive Director, Corporate Development for Henley Business School, said that the research showed many were planning for the long-term, and not making budget cuts they may live to regret:

“Managing Directors, CEOs, HR Directors and Learning & Development professionals have adopted a pragmatic, level-headed, measured approach when faced with the tumultuous economic climate we have endured. As one respondent commented in the survey, his organisation’s priority is to ‘Ride out the storm that has been created by the recession without losing our A teams.’ Rather than axing development budgets and cutting leadership development they have focused effort on those individuals who they expect will lead their organisations into a future yet to be created. Softer skills, in leadership styles and in leadership coaching for instance, that bring out the very best in people and facilitate team working are also a priority.”

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

EKU Launches a New Video Blog for its Fire & Safety Engineering Technology Online Bachelor’s Degree Program

Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Justice & Safety is proud to announce the official launch of its new video blog http://firevideos.eku.edu, specifically for the Fire & Safety Engineering Technology Online Bachelor’s Degree Program. In addition to providing prospective students and working professionals with video content pertaining to the fire industry, the Vlog also features course lectures from the EKU fire science program.

EKU Launches a New Video Blog for its Fire & Safety Engineering Technology Online Bachelor's Degree Program

“Our degree program at EKU has always offered the sophisticated technical knowledge and skills needed to excel in the emergency services field, and now we are able to use this same sophistication to share our program information through the Vlog,” said James Pharr, program director.

This video blog, which will be updated regularly with additional video content, is a dynamic resource for the entire fire industry. Visitors will be able to access video based on categories that align with the EKU Fire & Safety Engineering Technology degree program courses, and they will also be able to add their comments about the videos to spurn discussion among industry professionals.

EKU will also use the launch of the video blog (http://firevideos.eku.edu) as its forte into social media, sending Vlog updates to followers through:
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ekufiresafety
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ekufirescience/170281136295
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/FireScienceEKU

EKU’s Fire & Safety Engineering Technology Online Bachelor’s Degree Program prepares fire industry professionals for future advancement in their careers. This degree program includes two critical concentrations: Fire Administration and Fire Protection Engineering Technology. Eastern Kentucky University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and enjoys many national rankings, including the top 10 percent of universities by Forbes Magazine and as a Tier I institution by US News and World Report.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Business School Dean Questions Cadbury Takeover Bid

Following speculation over Kraft’s proposed takeover bid of Cadbury and subsequent fears of major job losses, Professor Christopher Bones, Dean of Henley Business School, has also raised serious concerns regarding whether Kraft could be trusted to keep to its commitments in light of past failings. This warning comes after the pledge by Kraft that it will ensure the Cadbury’s Bath factory will stay open bearing in mind Kraft gave the same commitment to Terry’s of York in 1993 but then closed the factory 12 years later.

Henley Business School Dean Questions Cadbury Takeover Bid

Professor Bones gave evidence to the select committee for Business, Innovation and Skills enquiring into company takeovers, mergers and acquisitions on Tuesday 12 January. His evidence, which drew heavily on the example of the current takeover bid of Cadbury by Kraft, received widespread coverage in the UK media. The Today Programme, Wake Up To Money, BBC West Midlands, BBC World News and News Channel and The Guardian all carried interviews with Professor Bones.

Professor Bones drew attention to the threat to the UK’s science base and leading-edge research in GM other food related areas. The government has identified food security as one of the core STEM subjects of critical importance to national security.

The Global Science Centre for Cadbury plc which researches food security is located at the University of Reading. The centre employs 130 skilled researchers and is an established centre of excellence in the UK attracting research investment and international students f r o m around the world. Kraft plans to transfer such activity to its US laboratories.

Additionally, Cadbury plays a prominent role in building the UK’s reputation for ethical and responsible business in areas of the world where the UK has a significant interest in maintaining and sustaining its economic and political influence. In particular their commitment to ethical and sustainable practices in cocoa production and their endorsement of the Fair trade movement are major symbols locally in Africa and worldwide. Professor Bones expressed his concern that Kraft’s approach to its consumer brands – the company has rejected fair trade as a model for their coffee and chocolate – may impact on the reputation of the UK in areas of strategic importance such as India and Africa.

Finally Professor Bones questioned whether it was right that a UK bank (RBS) which is 84% owned by the UK taxpayer should be funding the acquisition of an iconic UK company by a US conglomerate, especially when the CBI Director General in his New Year message called for more funds to be made available for investment in UK businesses.

He said: “The ultimate irony for any government would be the sight of the corporate banking team at RBS or any other government-owned institution being paid multi-million pound bonuses for funding the acquisition of a UK company by a US conglomerate at a price that failed to reflect real market value with an outcome that damaged the long term interests of the UK economy.”

About Henley Business School
Henley Business School was formed f r o m the merger of Henley Management College and the Business School at the University of Reading. It is one of the longest established Business Schools and the world’s third largest supplier of MBA courses. It delivers business management training to managers in more than 140 countries worldwide with around 7,000 people studying at any one time.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

NalandaU – New Website Allows Students To Access MIT Quality Education For Free

NalandaU (www.NalandaU.com) is an education website with a mission to democratize education and enable people around the world to access quality education f r o m top universities. They aggregate videos provided by universities worldwide and stitch them with open text materials to build comprehensive courses. The courses will help any motivated learner to get in-depth knowledge of a subject for free at the comfort of their home.

They currently have about 300 courses with about 6000 hours of instruction material. Of these courses include 126 f r o m MIT, Stanford, Yale and Berkeley and 36 f r o m Indian Institutes of Technology. The subjects interest not just college students but also curious minds of any age. The site is clean and loads without any ads and doesn’t require any login unless you want to access the advanced features. Most modern browsers that came in the last 5 years should work fine with it though there might be problems with older browsers like Internet Explorer 6 that came with Windows XP.

Apart f r o m watching the videos, the students can take notes in the page and access them later – organized by courses. They can also connect with their friends in Facebook who are also in the same virtual class, and share information. The course pages also have related courses that the student can take next and improve the knowledge further. Selected courses also have online quiz that the students can take to get their grades, and can manage their transcripts f r o m a central location. It has a simple search tool with search suggestions and course results organized by broad topics.

The site has been designed to reduce distraction and information-intimidation as much as possible. The information available at each page is organized well, unintimidating and more homogeneous, and when playing the videos you can go full screen or hide everything other than the lecture by using “Dim the lights” option. Company founder Balaji says, “In some of the courses the teaching is so good, you might get the feel of actually attending classes in Boston while you might really be sipping a cup of coffee, strapped with your laptop in the middle of nowhere”.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley MBA Receives Formal Re-Accreditation From AMBA

The Henley MBA has now received formal re-accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA) for the maximum possible term of five years. The accreditation covers all 3 modes of study for the Henley MBA – Full-time, Executive and Flexible Learning, a distance learning programme.

Commendations from AMBA leading to the re-accreditation cover a variety of aspects including leadership of the business school, programme content, ambitions, staff, and student interaction. Highlight commendations include:

– “The skilful management of the merger with Reading, which has created the possibility of a large and diversified major business school.”

– “The thematic coverage and integration of personal development (in the MBA programme)”

– “A good balance of assessment provided through the use of ‘assessment bundles’ and the quality of feedback provided to students.”

Henley was also praised for the evident enthusiasm and accessibility of staff and their responsiveness to student needs, as well as the overall quality of leadership of the School, including the role of the Subject Area Leaders in managing teaching resources and ensuring quality and consistency of standards in the delivery of the MBA.

Further recommendations from AMBA, are all encouraging and support the School in its agreed plans to develop the MBA further.

“I am absolutely delighted with the commendations made by AMBA” said Professor Chris Bones, Dean of Henley Business School. “It is a really excellent outcome for the School and supports all of the work that many in the school have been involved with over the last few years to develop our MBA. The recommendations will be taken on board and we will continue to focus on exceeding the expectations of all.”

The Henley MBA is a leading business management course that can be achieved through a number of modes – the Full Time MBA, the Executive MBA and the Flexible Learning MBA, a distance learning MBA.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases

Henley Maintains Rankings For Its Executive MBA And Full Time MBA Courses

Henley Business School MBA courses have retained key business school ranking positions in both the Financial Times EMBA Rankings 2009 and Economist Intelligence Unit Full-time MBA Rankings 2009.

Overall positions have remained similar to 2008 MBA rankings, with the executive MBA ranked 6 in the UK, 15 in Europe and 44 in the world. The Henley Executive MBA has retained the top spot for MBA job progression in the UK, and has improved its rankings for both salary increase and the percentage of women students. It is a part-time executive MBA programme for experienced, practising managers looking to complete their MBA alongside full-time employment. The Henley full time MBA remains ranked 4 in the UK, 9 in Europe and 21 in the world. The Henley Full-time MBA has retained the top world spots for its potential to network, breadth of alumni network and student quality, as well as remaining number 2 in the world for Post MBA salary and number 3 in the world for salary increase. It is a full-time MBA programme to develop students’ potential and their management and leadership skills in preparation for a senior management position.

Professor Chris Bones, Dean of Henley Business School said, “The consistency represents quite an achievement in a year of considerable change… our world ranking positions are a real achievement when we consider the size, complexity and shifts in the global MBA market.

“Our intake numbers across all modes this autumn are strong and in some cases at an all-time high and we are committed to ensure that members of our MBA programmes have an experience with us that exceeds their expectations.”

The Henley MBA is a leading business management course that can be achieved through a number of modes – the Full Time MBA, the Executive MBA and the Flexible Learning MBA, a distance learning MBA.

About Henley Business School
Henley Business School was formed from the merger of Henley Management College and the Business School at the University of Reading. It is one of the longest established Business Schools and the world’s third largest supplier of MBA courses. It delivers business management training to managers in more than 140 countries worldwide with around 7,000 people studying at any one time.

Via EPR Network
More Education press releases