AMBA & BGA is delighted to announce the 60 shortlisted finalists across all 11 categories in the AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2021.
The AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards is an annual occasion at which leading lights from the global business education community come together to celebrate excellence and commend achievement among Business Schools, students, graduates, suppliers, and employers that share AMBA & BGA’s values of ambition, impact and integrity.
The AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2021 will be the organisation’s biggest-ever celebration of Business School, student and graduate achievement and AMBA & BGA is delighted to be able to announce the shortlisted finalists in each of the award’s 11 categories.
MBA Student of the Year
AMBA’s MBA Student of the Year award plays a pivotal role in supporting AMBA’s pledge to promote the MBA degree as the leading international business qualification.
The MBA Student of the Year award recognises students who have shown exceptional career potential and who AMBA believes can act as ambassadors for the high quality of accredited MBAs and the opportunities these programmes provide for students from a wide range of different personal and professional backgrounds.
The finalists are:
- Ciara Close, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin (Ireland)
- Kayee Au, AUC School of Business, The American University in Cairo (Egypt)
- Koshy Alexander, IE Business School (Spain)
- Leon Lloyd, Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK)
- Mital Thanki, School of Business, University of Leicester (UK)
- Ramiro Agustin Costa, Universidad del CEMA (Argentina)
MBA Startup of the Year
The MBA Startup of the Year is a new award which will celebrate the achievements of successful MBA students and alumni in innovative world-class business strategy. It will also showcase Business Schools that are nurturing a spirit of enterprise and ambition.
This award highlights the success of AMBA-accredited Business Schools that promote entrepreneurship in their MBA cohorts. The award is also a chance for individuals to impress high-profile judges who are already at the forefront of global entrepreneurship.
The finalists are:
- Aku Wilenius, School of Business, Aalto University (Finland) for Caidio
- Codilia Gapare, Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University (UK) for C-Lash
- Daniele Pes, Graduate School of Management, MIP Politecnico di Milano (Italy) for Grycle
- Laura Judith Ramírez Guevara, EGADE Business School, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) for Dereum Labs
- Tatiana Flores Burbano, ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University (Spain) for Exponencial
- Yann Le Guillou, Rennes School of Business (France) for Biosency
MBA Entrepreneur of the Year
The MBA Entrepreneur of the Year award celebrates the achievements of successful alumni in innovative world-class business strategy, but also showcases Business Schools that are nurturing a spirit of enterprise and ambition.
The MBA Entrepreneur of the Year award is one of the most distinguished awards in the industry. AMBA has developed the MBA Entrepreneur of the Year award to encourage and promote the value of entrepreneurship in the current competitive climate and to highlight its importance in the global market.
The finalists are:
- Daniel Burns, TUM School of Management, Technische Universität München (Germany) for Testifi
- Daniel George, Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University (UK) for StepEx
- Francisco Santolo, Universidad del CEMA (Argentina) for Scalabl
- Oluwatobi Ajayi, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria) for Nord Automobiles
- Ramil Khantimirov, Graduate School of Management, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia) for StormWall
- Sarah Martin, Kent Business School, University of Kent (UK) for Nourish Zero Waste
MBA Leadership Award
The MBA Leadership Award is a new award which will honour alumni from AMBA-accredited Business Schools who have been making an impact in the business world following their graduation.
The award recognises the work of these alumni through their achievements, performance and recognition.
The finalists are:
- Alforde Charumbira, UCT Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town (South Africa)
- Ashwanth Gnanavelu, Kent Business School, University of Kent (UK)
- Ivan Syreyshchikov, Graduate School of Management, Saint Petersburg State University (Russia)
- Oare Ehiemua, ESADE Business School, Ramon Llull University (Spain)
- Shivanku Misra, IMI New Delhi (India)
- Vyacheslav Klimov, International Institute of Business (IIB) (Ukraine)
Best Innovation Strategy
The Best Innovation Strategy award is a fantastic way to celebrate achievement, as well as to motivate and encourage entire teams. It will let a Business School’s students, peers, prospects, customers and alumni know precisely how boundaries are being pushed, in terms of creativity in practice.
This award is a celebration of innovation and radical thinking in business education delivery across all areas of the Business School and has been developed to recognise and reward game-changing new practices, risks and creativity around AMBA-accredited and BGA member programmes. It promotes the value of taking risks in pursuit of the new across a number of different areas such as teaching, learning, recruitment and alumni relations.
The finalists are:
- Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow (UK) for ‘Decision making under uncertainty: making a drama out of a crisis – transitioning a core MBA course into an online format using the Covid-19 pandemic as an integrated case study’
- Graduate School of Management, MIP Politecnico di Milano (Italy) for ‘Immersive learning with simulations and virtual reality’
- Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London (UK) for ‘A three-stage strategic response to the disruption in teaching provision due to the Covid-19 pandemic: stabilise, enhance and innovate’
- School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) (China) for ‘Fintech MBA programme’
- TBS Business School (formerly known as Toulouse Business School) (France) for ‘Teaching through comedy: injecting humour into educational videos’
Best Lifelong Learning Initiative
The Best Lifelong Learning Initiative is a new award which will recognise the efforts of AMBA & BGA member Schools that are reinventing teaching and learning among students, graduates, alumni networks, and in their custom and executive education offerings.
The finalists showcase the impact and success these initiatives have had not only to students, but also to the Business School.
The finalists are:
- EGADE Business School, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)
- Facultad de Economía y Negocios, Universidad Anáhuac México (Mexico)
- Hult International Business School (US)
- International Institute of Business (IIB) (Ukraine)
- Mannheim Business School, University of Mannheim (Germany)
- Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University (Thailand)
Best Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative
The Best Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Initiative award will honour AMBA-accredited and BGA member, validated and accredited Business Schools that share AMBA & BGA’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and that are passionate about making a difference to communities and societies.
The award recognises Business Schools that are taking the initiative in creating a sustainable future and teaching students about social values; as well as making a positive impact in practical and measurable ways.
The finalists are:
- CENTRUM PUCP Business School, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Peru) for ‘Improving My Store’
- Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University (China) for ‘Social Responsibility Leadership Programme’
- Hanken School of Economics (Finland) for ‘Business Lead’
- IPADE Business School, Universidad Panamericana (Mexico) for ‘IPADE Social Challenge’
- Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria) for ‘LBS Sustainability Centre (LBSSC)’
- Shantou University Business School, Shantou University (China) for ‘Leiling Honey Project, Fenghuangshan Mountain Tea Promotion Project, Recycling Project of China’
Best Business School Partnership
The Best Business School Partnership award has returned for 2021. This award recognises organisations that share AMBA & BGA’s passion for building networks and have adopted a proactive, innovative approach to strategic collaboration.
This award is designed to celebrate Business Schools working strategically and collaboratively with (for example) another Business School / group of Schools, an employer, consultant, education partner or technology provider, social impact group, individual, charity, or other organisation.
The finalists are:
- CENTRUM PUCP Business School, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (Peru) with Industrias San Miguel
- Graduate Business School, NUCB Business School (Japan) with Toyota Motor Corporation
- Graduate School of Management, MIP Politecnico di Milano (Italy) with Prada
- Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University (UK) with Transnational Academic Group
- School of Business, Jiangnan University (China) with Jiangsu JD-Link International Logistics
Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative
The Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative is a new award which has been introduced to recognise Business Schools and the work they have been doing to create, incorporate and develop culture, diversity and inclusion practices into their Business School, while balancing and involving fair working environments.
The finalists are:
- IE Business School (Spain) for ‘LGBT+@Work’
- Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London for ‘Working in diverse organisations’
- Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA) (Venezuela) for ‘Women entrepreneurs programme – Grupo Cisneros’
- Monash Business School, Monash University (Australia) for ‘Queering accounting’
BGA Future Leaders Case Competition
The BGA Future Leaders Case Competition provides BGA student and graduate members with an opportunity to showcase their business acumen by solving a time-relevant global business problem with a focus on ensuring sustainability and responsible management practices are at the forefront of proposed solutions. The award carries a cash prize of $3,000 USD for the winner.
The finalists are:
- Ahmed Youssef Ahmed Aly, Graduate School of Management, MIP Politecnico di Milano (Italy)
- Hari Chandan Patnaik, Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham (UK)
- Nicolas Sauviat, Aston Business School, Aston University (UK)
- Racquella Laurel Parris, Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, The University of the West Indies (Trinidad and Tobago)
BGA Business School Impact Award
The BGA Business School Impact Award is a newly created award which is open to BGA member, validated, and accredited Schools which can demonstrate their impact on all stakeholders, alongside BGA’s vision and Charter.
This exciting new award is an excellent way to celebrate and reflect on your Business School’s positive impact on students and graduates, your communities, and the economy as a whole.
It also promotes the values of positive impact, innovation, responsible management and lifelong learning across areas such as programme design, social outreach programmes, alumni relations, careers services and other areas where the Business School is demonstrating an impact.
The finalists are:
- Athena School of Management (India)
- Brunel Business School, Brunel University London (UK)
- Collegium Humanum-Warsaw Management University (Poland)
- International Management Institute (MIM-Kyiv) (Ukraine)
- Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (Netherlands)
- School of Business, Universidad de San Andrés (Argentina)
Winners will be unveiled at a special virtual awards ceremony during the AMBA & BGA Festival of Excellence 2021 on 29 January.
ENDS
Notes to editors
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For comment or interview, please contact Ellen Buchan, Insight and Communications Executive, AMBA & BGA – e.buchan@associationofmbas.com
