Minister for Education, Michael Woods, launches a new challenging Executive MBA at DCU Business School for CIMA Members.
28th February 2002

At the Westbury Hotel, Dublin, Minister for Education, Michael Woods announced details of a new challenging Executive MBA at DCU, Dublin City University, Business School for members of CIMA, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

The MBA (Master of Business Administration) programme at DCU has been running since 1990, producing its first graduates in 1992. Each class has included a wide variety of individuals from differing business backgrounds, from financial controllers to production engineers, from marketing managers to software engineers, bankers to self employed entrepreneurs. Much of the value of the MBA programme lies in the interaction between individuals from diverse business backgrounds and this is reflected in the approach to learning on the programme.

This new MBA which starts in DCU on the 1st October 2002 is different from the existing MBA. The DCU MBA for CIMA members allows students to combine the best elements of the DCU MBA - proven over the years to deliver a top class qualification - with an advanced finance element which builds on core financial skills to reflect the strategic nature of present-day management and accounting.

There is of course more to an MBA than simply the qualification. The MBA for CIMA members at DCU allows a good networking base on two levels:

• The CIMA accounting element of the course, available only to qualified accountants, will be closed allowing qualified CIMA accountants to form a constructive grouping.
• For all other classes CIMA members will be divided into mixed groups - working with students from all areas of professional life.

Commenting on this new MBA, Minister Michael Woods said,
"People with financial acumen, entrepreneurial flair and a profound understanding of how twenty-first century organisations and economies work are vital for success. To survive in the global economy, people must be equipped with the skills to face these challenges and to ensure that their organisation realises its strategic vision and succeeds in its objectives. This new MBA will provide accountants with an opportunity to further develop and enhance their skills in order to meet these challenges."

Professor Ferdinand Von Prondzynski, President of DCU said
"The DCU MBA has a very strong reputation, particularly in the financial services sector. By tailoring the programme for CIMA we aim to give professional accountants the skills and qualifications to take on top general management roles in Ireland and abroad."

Sean Shine, President of CIMA added:
"CIMA is the qualification of first choice for financial and management personnel while DCU provides a prestigious executive MBA programme. CIMA is delighted that our two institutions can come together to provide a premier qualification targeted to CIMA members."

CIMA, which has over 2500 members and over 2500 student members in the Republic of Ireland, is quite unlike other accounting or financial qualifications. One of, if not the fastest growing financial management qualification in Ireland, its scope extends far beyond pure accountancy and even most management training courses to make it a complete education for business in the twenty-first century. CIMA is recognised and valued the world over. CIMA has 55,000 members and 73,000 students in 156 countries, working at every level in virtually every industry.

For further details including entry requirements for the MBA course for CIMA members at DCU contact:
Nicola Fitzgerald, MBA Secretary, DCU Business School, DCU, Dublin 9. Telephone: 00 353 1 700 5453, e-mail: nicola.fitzgerald@dcu.ie

Information is also available at:
CIMA, 44 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2. Tel 353 1 676 1721 Fax 353 1 676 1796,
E-mail: roi@cimaglobal.com or check the CIMA website: www.cimaglobal.com

ENDS

For further information:

Mary FitzGerald
PR Consultant-CIMA
Tel 01-432 1560
Mobile: 086-2520181
E-mail: mefitzgerald@eircom.net