EBSI: Internationalising the EBS Brand
An Enhanced Brand
The European Business Schools International
(EBSI) network has over the past year (2008-2009) been
strengthening the links between its constituent members (Paris,
Madrid, London, Munich, Dortmund, Riga, Kaliningrad) in order to
enhance the EBS brand. The backdrop to this development is
the increasingly competitive higher education market that has
become more dynamic and unpredictable in the midst of a global
financial crisis.
At a series of meetings in London (October
2008), Madrid (March 2009), Paris (June 2009) and London
(forthcoming in November 2009), key decisions have been taken
regarding the future development of EBSI and the EBS brand.
Collaborative Work across Europe
Following a recent preliminary audit of a
potential new member (EBS Switzerland) by Professor Michael Scriven
(London) and Mr Lorenzo Bermejo Munoz (Madrid), the decision has
been taken to initiate a major review of the criteria for
membership of EBSI. The review will seek to ensure that
quality thresholds in key areas (validation and accreditation,
internationalisation of programme content and delivery, linguistic
capability in several languages, integral study period abroad) are
maintained and enhanced. To this end, a working group will
submit its proposals to the London meeting in November 2009.
Further collaborative work is also being
pursued in the following areas:
- Programme development (joint EBS Paris – EBS London Masters
degree, potential collaborative Masters programmes between EBS
Paris, EBS London and North American partners).
- Research cooperation (enhanced collaboration between the
Institute of Contemporary European Studies [iCES] and the Institut
de Recherche EBS Paris [IREBS].
- Staff exchange at postgraduate Masters level (London and
Paris).
- Increased student exchange throughout the entire EBSI
network.
New Brand, New Website
At the June meeting in Paris, Roger
Koukerjinian, Webmaster at EBS Paris, presented the design of the
new EBSI website, the outcome of significant collaboration between
the External Relations Department at Regent’s College and EBS
Paris. The new website which will be hosted in Paris, will
provide information on all aspects of the work of EBSI, as well as
links to the individual Schools.
In the medium term the new EBSI website will
not only enable each constituent school to showcase its activities
more effectively, but also and more significantly will enhance the
EBS brand through a unified visual presentation of the uniqueness
of the EBS programme offer on a multiplicity of sites throughout
Europe.
EBS Alumni Directory and EBS International Week
Other projects discussed at the June Paris
meeting and which will be further developed at the November London
meeting were a joint EBS alumni directory and the next EBS
International Week to be held at Munich Business School in Spring
2010.
The enhancement and promotion of the EBS brand
through the agency of the EBSI network will undoubtedly raise the
profile of all European Business Schools internationally, and will
significantly assist EBS London in consolidating its position as
the prestige brand of business programmes at Regent’s College.