The Cranfield School of Management has joined forces with Grant Thornton to develop a new leadership programme. The new module, which can be funded by companies using the Apprenticeship Levy funds, is a two year part-time programme, integrating academic theory, commercial insights and practical application.
The Cranfield Executive MBA programme, an offering of the Cranfield School of Management, offers candidates an MBA programme that has the goal to prepare managers for the economy of the future. The programme, which is part-time and runs over two years, provides a broad background to candidates looking to become managers, including academic theory, commercial insights and practical application.
The programme also aims to support the government’s wider efforts to add managerial skills to business across the UK. A recent survey by the Chartered Management Institute, for instance found that around 70% of organisations fail to train first time managers effectively – even while well trained managers and leaders saw an on average 23% increase in organisational performance and a 32% increase in people performance.
The new programme meets the requirements of the Level 7 Strategic Leadership Master's Degree Apprenticeship and leverage funds made available to companies through the Apprenticeship Levy, by re-investing that money into high-potential talent and investing in up-skilling their talent base.
In delivering the programme, the Cranfield School of Management has teamed up with Grant Thornton, one of the globe's larger accounting and consulting firms. “With the emphasis of apprenticeships on the practical application of knowledge, they are an excellent strategic fit for Cranfield. We were the first University in the UK to offer degree apprenticeships at Master’s level (Cranfield Masterships) and we are delighted to be working with Grant Thornton to provide companies with the opportunity to develop their senior leaders to prepare for the management challenges of tomorrow," explains Professor Lynette Ryals, The Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Education at Cranfield University.
On the partnership, Sacha Romanovitch, CEO of Grant Thornton UK, says, "This collaboration brings to bear the very best of the academic and commercial worlds and sits at the heart of our purpose of helping to shape a vibrant economy by building trust and integrity in markets, unlocking growth in dynamic organisatons, and creating environments where business and people thrive. Through this MBA programme we will develop a distinctive community of individuals that have the skills, know-how and confidence to stand out from the crowd through their ability to lead innovation, deliver social impact and empower their people to drive optimum results."