The Association of Business Schools (ABS) aims to promote the study of business and management to help improve the quality and effectiveness of those entering management, experienced managers and senior executives in the UK and internationally

Members of ABS comprise of the leading business schools of universities, higher education institutions, and independent managements colleges. Collectively the 100 members of ABS provide education for around one quarter of a million people annually.

The scope of this provision is very wide and covers all levels of the proposed National Framework of higher education qualifications. ABS members provide both general courses, which offer experience of broad business and management issues and curriculum, and specialist programmes. Specialist programmes can focus on a functional area, such as marketing, finance or human resources, or occupational sectors in, for example, the public or educational sectors.

There are currently around seven thousand UK Honours degrees with business and/or management in their title. These include modular and individually named degrees and qualification pathways. Provision of courses by individual institutions varies widely, from a single course, to two institutions that offer through flexible modular provision, over 500 degree titles.

ABS members also offer in excess of a thousand postgraduate courses, which again can be differentiated into those that are broad based, for example the internationally renowned Master of Business Administration (MBA) and the more specialised Certificates, Diplomas and Masters degrees in functional areas and occupational sectors. The innovative Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is now available from around twenty business schools across the UK.

Some schools also offer National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (N/SVQs) and short tailor-made non-qualification programmes particularly at the executive level.

Business schools and management colleges work with the widest range of organisation from small and medium-sized enterprises to international conglomerates, charities and public institutions. They contribute to the education and personal development of individuals at all levels from supervisory management to main broad level through course provision, research and consultancy services.

Great emphasis is placed on research in UK business schools into management thinking and practice as management and business practices evolve in the global market. This in turn is reflected in the continual development of programmes, new courses and innovative approaches to learning and teaching.

Many Business & Management degree courses now provide a work placement opportunity for students either in the UK or abroad. Not only does this enable students to understand theory and practice but also to develop those particular skills and abilities desired by employers, in preparation for a successful business career.

This, it would appear, seems to have a knock on effect as the employability of business and management graduates has also dramatically improved over the last 10 years. It is now recorded that 69% of all business School graduates gain employment in the UK or overseas six months after graduation. This is 1.5% above the average for higher education.

For more information about Business Studies log onto the UCAS website www.ucas.co.uk or contact the Association of Business Schools on Tel: +44 (0) 207 837 1899 or log onto their website www.the-abs.org.uk