Which qualification is the best to help you succeed in your career? Ian Fraser sheds some light on how ABE qualifications can help propel you to career success.

Do you need a professional qualification in business? Yes, qualifications matter. In our increasingly competitive world you have to stand out from others.

Of course experience matters as well, but if you can show potential employers that you have the theoretical understanding of business, then you have the foundations to succeed irrespective of your experience.

If you know the principles as well as the practice you will undoubtedly be a better practitioner.

Which qualifications should you study? There are two paths you can choose between. These are the generalist and the specialist.

The generalist is for those interested in all areas of business. The specialist is for those who enjoy a particular area of business such as marketing, finance or human relations. If you are not sure which areas interest you, particularly when you are just starting your career, then it is possible to start as a generalist and specialise when you find what you like most. Both paths can lead to senior management positions, as managing director, general manager or chief executive if you are a generalist or the relevant director if you are a specialist.

SWhat other questions should you ask yourself? You need to consider the reputation of the qualification. Have employers heard of it? Who is the qualification provided by?

One of the main providers of business qualifications worldwide is the Association of Business Executives (ABE). ABE is based in the UK and has been offering business qualifications for more than 30 years. It is recognised by the British government’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and its qualifications are on the Register of Regulated Qualifications, so you can be sure of the quality and integrity of both the organisation and its work.

ABE offers courses from Certificate up to Advanced Diploma level. You can choose from six subjects covering both generalist and specialist areas. These are: business management, financial management, marketing, business information systems, human resource management and travel, tourism and hospitality management.

In addition ABE offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management. More than 50,000 students study ABE qualifications worldwide every year.

I would recommend ABE qualifications to my colleagues as it has changed my views of business studies - which I thought that it would not - and created a sense of great enthusiasm in me to complete the whole business course in every field because it’s the best qualification I would say anyone could get.

Where should you study? If you study in your own country, you will have the support of your family and friends. Alternatively you could study in the UK or other countries.

The cost is more, because you have the additional costs for accommodation, food, travel and other such items, but you gain experience of other countries which can help your personal and professional development.

ABE qualifications are taught at around 600 colleges worldwide (of which just under 200 are in the UK) so you can choose either alternative.

How should you study? Many people don’t think about the self-study option, but it is significantly cheaper and can be undertaken while working, and so continuing to receive an income. It requires self-discipline and motivation and many employers will recognise this when recruiting. The advantage of the traditional classroom is the support of teachers and fellow students, plus you have someone to ask if you don’t understand something!

Once you have obtained your qualification what is the next stage? Many students are happy simply to take a job as soon as they qualify because of their desire for an income. However, many other students use their qualification as a springboard to a university place

The various different levels of ABE qualifications are accepted by British (and other) universities for entry onto relevant Bachelor and MBA degrees. Thus ABE Diplomas are accepted for entry on the second year of degree courses, the Advanced Diploma on to the third or final year of degree courses and the Postgraduate Diploma for advanced entry to MBAs.

So not only do you gain a valuable business qualification in its own right, you can also save time and money by starting your degree from the second or third year.

How the Gordon Institute of Business Science is placing leadership at the core of a new agenda for Africa's finance and banking professionals.

The Gordon School of Business Science (GIBS) is situated in Johannesburg, South Africa's economic hub, and has been, since its establishment in 2000, a business school that is from and for the community. As a place of learning, however, it challenges its students to stretch their thinking and to re-evaluate existing ideas by looking beyond not only South Africa and the African continent, but across the globe.

According to Jonathan Cook, Executive Director of GIBS, in addition to developing South Africa's leaders, there is also a broader need to equip a community of leaders beyond the country's borders.

"Executive leadership is a critical component in organisational success," he says. "The impact on employees and on the bottom line of a good leader with a clear strategy for his/her business can be very substantially different from that of an ordinary leader. One strategic decision can make or break an organisation. Similarly, organisational climate under good leadership can increase performance by 20% or more. The importance of having an organisation's leadership up to the task cannot be emphasised sufficiently."

Managing in a world of enormous complexity is no easy matter, says Nick Binedell, Director of GIBS, and, for those open to the experience, South Africa provides a remarkable place to learn the business knowledge and insights needed to take a lead in business.

"At the Gordon Institute of Business Science we have always believed that we can play a significant role in South Africa by ensuring that leaders in our business community have the opportunity to develop their skills and business acumen to meet the enormous opportunities that a dynamic and rapidly changing world presents."

GIBS offers three executive development programmes (EDP) and in a more recent development, GIBS, in partnership with Cass Business School in the UK, has launched a newly created Finance Executive Development Programme aimed at senior finance and banking professionals. The first course takes place in London from July 16-24.

The Finance EDP will extend across all the core areas of finance and banking – capital markets and liquidity, private equity and asset management, ethics and governance, retail banking, investment banking and corporate finance.

Professor Mike Ward, who holds the ABSA Chair of Finance at GIBS, says the programme will look at some of the bigger strategic questions and the latest research on behavioural finance.

"The past two years have been a roller coaster ride and understanding the impact of these changes is critical for leaders and decision-makers," he says. "It's an intensive eight-day programme, presented at a very high level, and while we've tried to keep it quite broad, we trust it will give delegates insight into global financial markets and economies."

Cook says executive development programmes such as the ones offered at GIBS provide a superb opportunity to see things through other people's eyes. "So often we get caught up in the narrow perspectives of our own organisation or social context. The networks are invaluable – any good senior management programme is very much discussion-based and discovery-based. You form close relationships with people you have never met before, and whom you may not otherwise have met."

Recognising the limited time executives have to devote to studies, the GIBS programme has been designed to expose people to intense experiences and perspectives.

"To add to the richness of each programme, we try to include a good spread of delegates from different industries, disciplines and countries. Information is useful, but you can get it for free off the internet. What makes the difference with these programmes is the encounter, the experience and the challenge to one's way of thinking."

Senior level programmes will typically expose people to perspectives outside their normal experience, but it is also valuable to gain a global perspective, says Cook, and, in common with other GIBS executive programmes, the Finance programme has an international travel component.

In London, the finance modules will be led by hand-picked faculty from GIBS and other leading international business schools, who will provide teaching in key disciplines. A range of guest speakers, all leaders in their field, will also expose participants to local and international best practice.

"Although many executives will have travelled, it's different travelling as a study group. Even if you have visited one of our destinations before, we're able to set up meetings and encounters you wouldn't normally have if you were travelling privately," he says.

"Not only that, but by examining these other countries as a group we learn more about South Africa. Sometimes I think the international travel component of these trips is more informative about South Africa, doing business in South Africa and ourselves than it is even of the countries we visit."

Now in its tenth year, GIBS has rapidly grown to become one of South Africa's leading business schools. In 2009, GIBS was again ranked as one of the world's top business schools by the UK's Financial Times and was the only African business school to be placed in the top 45 business schools worldwide for executive education programmes.

Over the past decade, more than 70 South African and global companies have invested in the development of their leaders through GIBS, and the inaugural Finance Executive Development Programme will bring financial professionals into contact with cutting-edge thought leadership and the latest developments in global finance and banking.

For GIBS, its distinct advantage is its ability to design programmes from an understanding of the unique potential and capabilities that Africa offers the international finance and banking community.

As ‘the business school for business', GIBS is self-proclaimedly passionate about providing business education that is not only world-class, but also relevant to the times in which we live.

"In a highly competitive world such as the one we live in, it is critical that as South Africans we focus on being the best," says Director Nick Binedell.

"The habits of champions are a vital asset for nations. As GIBS embarks on the next 10 years of our journey, it is our commitment to remain true to our origins and to contribute to building a stronger, more competitive and more sustainable society through business education."

Find out more about GIBS at: www.gibs.co.za

When it comes to business qualifications that offer both quality and an affordable price, ABE is hard to beat. We talk to Christine Gill, Deputy Chief Executive of ABE, about the company's latest developments.

ABE has successfully provided business education across Africa for many years, with representatives in countries including Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Gambia and Botswana. ReConnect Africa asked Christine Gill, Deputy Chief Executive of ABE about the organisation and how it is responding to the economic challenges faced by today's professionals.

Christine Gill (CG): ABE is an awarding body of high-quality, low cost business management qualifications. ABE offers qualifications in six subjects: Business Management, Business Information Systems, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing and Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management. These subjects are available at Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and, in the case of Business Management, Postgraduate Diploma Level.

CG: ABE qualifications are really flexible, they are available part-time or full-time. You can study privately or through an extensive network of colleges (over 500 worldwide) and you can take as much or as little time as you need to pass the exams. This makes them incredibly popular with those who need to combine work and study.

CG: ABE was formed in 1973 and it is internationally recognised. Africa has always been important to us and our name is well established in many African countries where generations have taken our qualifications. ABE qualifications are fully accredited by the official UK regulator, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Ikechukwu David Nwibe, Nigeria

Ikechukwu is studying privately for an ABE Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) whilst working as a project manager at the Future Hope Foundation of Nigeria.

"I have always been more interested in learning and mastering a skill rather than just a qualification and I believe ABE offers such opportunity. With my qualifications and work experience, I know I could have been considered for the Diploma level entry but I made up my mind to start from scratch because I want to know all the rudiments of that profession. I believe ABE is great value for money and faster than the conventional educational system (university and the rest) and I will be able to get my MBA started without a university degree.

I hope to go ahead with my MBA as soon as I am through with the ABE HRM program and I might consider working with an international development agency.

I have already recommended ABE to two of my friends and I did that because it is a solution to many problems.

I know the qualification will transform my career and my finances. With it I believe I will have easy access to some world class organisations."

CG: I think people recognise that now, more than ever, to succeed in the job market it is important to stand out with a good quality education, particularly in areas such as business management, but obviously cost is an issue for many.

ABE was set up as a not for profit organisation with the sole aim of enhancing social and economic development through the provision of relevant affordable qualifications. We are aware that many people are facing financial hardship and strive to keep our costs to a minimum. This means we offer one of the lowest cost routes available to gain a high-quality British management qualification.

CG: As well as keeping our fees to a minimum, we also strive to ensure that our qualifications are available locally to as many people as possible. This means people don't lose out if they don't have the resources to go overseas to study. There are around 200 ABE Accredited Colleges running our programmes in 17 African countries and we are adding to this total all the time.

We also provide a wealth of free online support material and we believe in rewarding success so there are financial prizes for the highest performing students.

CG: In recent months we have newly accredited colleges in Nairobi and Botswana. We have also opened a local branch in South Africa. Here we offer ABE qualifications as part of a programme of continuing professional development for managers. And we are very excited by the recent opening of an ABE office in Cameroon and the accreditation of our first Cameroonian college.

It is particularly rewarding when a new area is able to benefit from easier access to ABE qualifications and the great thing about opening regional offices is that we are employing local people and doing local marketing and this is puts something back into the country's economy. Altogether we have representatives in twelve African countries.

CG: Another exciting development for ABE is the launch of our Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management. This means that students can go straight onto an MBA and those with relevant work experience can get direct access to a postgraduate qualification. It’s early days for this programme and we are working to accredit African colleges but we have already had a tremendous response from our students so, for those who can't wait for it to be offered locally, there is an online mentor to provide the necessary support to enable it to be done privately.

Tamanda Sauka Business Management Student, Malawi

Tamanda is studying part-time whilst working in the human resources department of a company called Admarc.

"I heard about ABE from my sister who is also studying Business Management.

I chose ABE because:

1. I have seen so many people succeeding after attaining ABE qualifications.
2. ABE rewards hard working students through scholarships, this really motivated me and I rated ABE to be number one.
3. ABE's exams fees and membership fees are not expensive.
4. ABE is widely recognised and it is easier to get a job if one possesses an ABE qualification.

From my studies, I have gained wide knowledge such as communication skills and good report/letter writing. I have also greatly improved on my verbal/oral communication in terms of body language when speaking to clients and authorities at work. Because ABE is widely recognised I have already recommended ABE qualifications to two colleagues at work who are planning to enrol, and also to my cousin.

My aspiration is to go to university for a Masters level degree. I also expect that my ABE qualification will help me get promoted to management.

To other ABE students, there is nothing dear without sweat. Everything needs hard work. Indeed practice makes perfect and if we practice (accounting, quantitative methods) and study hard, we will succeed and ABE is here to help us be who we want to be."

CG: It goes without saying that we are constantly growing the number of universities which, in recognition of the quality of our programmes, sign formal progression agreements.

ABE graduates now have a fantastic choice of great universities that they can go to. And, as always with a mind for those who have limited funds, we now have several university partners who offer top up degrees by distance learning plus there are local options in Kenya and Namibia.

For more than 30 years, ABE has continued to build management excellence across Africa

Association of Business Executives (ABE) has designed flexible, affordable and progressive business and management qualifications for over 30 years.  Founded by politicians, educationalists and businessmen in 1973, ABE today has students, members and colleges in over 70 countries worldwide.

ABE has an extensive presence throughout Africa, with representatives in Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

It has also funded a Chair for African Business Development, along with a Research Assistant, in conjunction with Leeds Metropolitan University. These posts are based in Africa rather than in Leeds, to underline ABE’s commitment to the continent’s development from within.

ReConnect Africa spoke to Lyndon Jones, Founder Chairman of ABE. Lyndon has over 50 years’ experience in the education sector, and even now makes several trips to Africa each year.

RCA:    What was the inspiration for setting up the ABE?

In the 1960s, I was surprised at how little management education and training was carried out both in the UK and around the world. When the British Institute of Management gave its membership by election, not examination, I felt duty bound to set up ABE so that we could build a strong base for management development.

My time in management education has taught me the importance of doing the right thing, rather than doing a thing right. Excellence is demonstrated by doing the right thing right.

RCA:    What is different about the qualifications that ABE offers?

ABE qualifications are not about management, they are for management. In other words, the skills that we teach our students will be used from day one in their jobs. Additionally, ABE programmes do not take students down a narrow path of business and management study. Our programmes offer students the skills to build a solid foundation in business and management, after which time they can specialise in one of our four fields – Business Administration, Business Information Systems, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality or Human Resource Management.

RCA:    Your organisation is a global one with a strong presence in Africa.  How do your qualifications reflect the different business norms that pertain around the world?

For the very reason that ABE has students and members in so many countries around the world, we have to ensure that our qualifications remain free from cultural ‘fingerprints’. Our programmes offer students skillsets that will be relevant anywhere in the world.

Doreena Sophie - Private candidate, Mauritius “I started the ABE Diploma in Business Administration in 2005, by which time I was already in full-time employment. The Business Administration course is very comprehensive and helps me lot in my day-to-day work. It also helps me to understand better my organisation and take into account human factors. My preferred subject in Diploma part one was Organisational Behaviour because my vision of the organisation has changed, as has the way I advise colleagues when they encounter difficulties. I also found the unit in Business Law very useful since much of my work is related to the making of contracts. This unit gave me a clearer understating of the technical terms being used. ABE's study materials (which are available online) often help me in better understanding the subjects and revising for exams. When I receive Student Focus, I usually go through the magazine as the examiners' study tips offer good guidance on how exams should be approached. Completing the ABE Diploma and Advanced Diploma will be my passport to a better job.”

RCA:    The current ABE President is Dr Edward de Bono, a leading authority on lateral thinking.  How have his views on management influenced the direction or strategy of ABE?

{mosimage}We know that Dr de Bono’s views on management encourage people to look at problems from a different angle. Dr de Bono stresses that thinking should be a deliberate act rather than a reactive one. In the same way, ABE programmes provide students with the skills to be proactive and clear-minded in business and management situations. On a more prosaic level, we are delighted that Dr de Bono is a contributor to our Business Executive journal

RCA:    The issue of accreditation is critical when it comes to qualifications.  What accreditation do ABE qualifications offer?

As a global provider of qualifications, ABE understands the value of quality benchmarks. ABE has accreditation from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) the UK regulator of UK qualifications. Having QCA accreditation demonstrates a commitment to upholding the highest standards, year in, year out.
But it is not just about UK recognition. ABE works closely with similar quality-focused bodies in Africa, such as the Tertiary Education Council (TEC) in Botswana, the Namibian Qualifications Authority (NQA) and the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) in Zambia, Malawi and Mauritius.

RCA: What impact do ABE qualifications make in terms of actual business and management skills in the workplace?

As mentioned already, people with ABE qualifications are ‘work-ready’. This means that they can make an impact in the workplace from day one, because they have been taught how to apply their knowledge. We have many case studies from students who tell us about their promotions (note the plural!) as a result of their ABE studies. Some people have even been promoted during their studies, such has been the impact of what they have learned.

Winston Michael Kuti-George - Banjul, The Gambia “I realised the value of my ABE qualification when I studied for a diploma for insurance managers. The units that appeared in the ABE Diploma gave me an excellent knowledge base, and the ability to handle the heavy workload of the institute. The skills that my ABE studies gave me enabled me to win several awards at the end of the insurance course. ABE has given me a sound footing for further professional development. I feel that with an ABE qualification, you can perform in any department of an organisation. It is an ideal qualification for young students looking for a career, people in industry wanting to improve their skills and employers wanting to develop their workforce.”

RCA:    Your vision is to be recognised as the qualification of choice for aspiring business professionals.  How would you measure your success to date in achieving this vision?

We can be relatively satisfied with the progress achieved so far, but the day when we think our work is done is the day when we know we have taken our eye off the ball.

Registrations have grown rapidly across Africa, even in large existing markets. We have also broken in to new markets including places where some professional bodies do not go (Somaliland).

We are committed to giving students the best opportunity to achieve their potential, and we have increased the number of universities with whom we have agreements. These agreements give our students entry to the final year of degrees in the UK, and a range of other countries including Australia, Canada, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia and the USA.

We have also taken steps to work more closely with employers. Our marketing team has been researching the employers that ABE students end up with and there are some very, very impressive ones. These have gone into our new employer guide, which shows all sizes of business the benefits ABE qualification holders can bring to them.

For further information about Association of Business Exec.

How the Association of African Business School is working to raise the standard of Africa’s Business Schools.

When it comes to business and management education, with one or two notable exceptions, Africa still has some way to go to rival the business schools of Europe and North America. Established in 2005, the African Association of Business Schools (AABS) is on a mission to promote excellence in business and management education in Africa by supporting graduate business schools through capacity building, collaboration and quality improvement.

International Accreditation

AABS is a membership based association which serves and promotes the collective interests of its members, which include business schools based in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Kenya and South Africa. By interfacing with other global and regional business school associations, AABS advocates management education and training needs across Africa. Under the Chairmanship of Nick Binedell Director of the Gordon Institute Business Sciences (GIBS) in South Africa, the Association’s members are working together to develop their business schools and to provide the kinds of management education and training programs their countries need.

Key to the AABS’s activities is helping members work towards accreditation by one of the internationally-recognized bodies that assess business schools. By linking schools so they can exchange staff, students and ideas and work jointly towards all-important international accreditations, the Association aims to raise standards around the continent.

ReConnect Africa spoke to Governing Board member, Professor Franklyn Manu, Professor of Marketing and International Business and Dean of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Business School in Accra, Ghana.

RCA: What role do business schools play in Africa today?

FM:  They play a variety of roles depending on the country. In general the focus is on general management education. A few schools are focused on executive training as well. The issue really is the value of the traditional role, especially at the undergraduate level. We are beginning to question whether the schools are doing a good enough job of preparing graduates to be managers. That is the gap in African development that business schools should be addressing. At the graduate level I have the impression that the schools are seeing the light and focusing on this issue. Unfortunately, there are two areas where business schools have not played a meaningful role: contributing effectively to public policy and generating managerially relevant research.

RCA: What are some of the challenges that Africa’s business schools face?

FM:  There are a number of challenges, for example, improving the resource base (qualified faculty, money and computers) and central administrations which have a hard time understanding what it takes to run an effective business school program. Other challenges are how to make the schools relevant to the business and government communities and to get them involved and also transforming curricula to make them relevant to African conditions.

RCA: Some of the AABS faculty recently visited a number of leading business schools in the UK and the USA as part of a global study visit to explore best practice amongst the schools and promote the AABS. What were the key lessons that this trip highlighted?

FM:  In terms of the study tour, I believe that what came out very clearly was the fact that the Business Schools we visited are very interested in collaborating with us to improve business education in Africa. They are also interested in enriching their own programs by incorporating some elements of an African perspective or experience particularly for their students.

RCA: What kind of faculty roles are member business schools seeking to fill and how can qualified applicants identify career opportunities?

FM:  We are all looking for faculty who can combine teaching, research and, in some cases, consulting. More importantly, they must be able to make all of this relevant to their particular environment. Africa will not be helped much by a focus on what exists in advanced countries. What we should be doing is looking at best practices elsewhere and exploiting them in Africa. This requires a new breed of faculty and faculty training. I believe AABS will do a good job of showing the career opportunities that exist in various institutions.

RCA: Is the AABS involved in any plans to utilize the skills of Africans in the Diaspora – whether long or short-term - to support the work of member business schools?

FM:  IIndividual schools have been doing this to a certain extent but we are now building a database of Africans in the Diaspora who are interested in collaborating with African business schools.

For further information about the work of the AABS: www.aabschools.com

When it comes to business and management training, the ABE (Association of Business Executives) qualification has come to be associated with all the hallmarks of quality and excellence. The organisation, now in its 34th year of operations, has launched new qualifications to keep abreast of the rapidly changing global marketplace.

ReConnect Africa takes a look at the recent developments in ABE and the impact of the organisation’s training on its ever increasing African intake.

2007 is proving an exciting year for ABE. ABE has launched its first QCA-accredited qualification in Business Management, as well as a new Marketing stream, and, with the updated and extended Human Resource Management stream, the Association has even more to offer its African market.

Association of Business Executives (ABE)

ABE is a not-for-profit awarding body and professional membership organisation which delivers high-quality business qualifications in Africa and around the world. As well as almost 40,000 members worldwide, a significant number of which come from African countries, the Association has over 500 accredited colleges worldwide and almost 40 agreements in place with Universities worldwide to accept ABE students onto degree and MBA courses.

The ABE mission is to enhance the intellectual, social and economic development of individuals and communities through the provision of relevant, high-quality, affordable qualifications. In this way, the organisation’s vision is to be recognised as the qualification of choice for aspiring business professionals.

ABE today has students, members and colleges in over 70 countries worldwide and has an extensive presence throughout Africa, with representatives in Botswana, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

New Course Streams

“ABE presents the first examinations in Business Management in December 2007,” says Steven Harris, ABE’s Director of Education. “The Business Management qualification supersedes the previous Business Administration qualification and represents the latest research and development from the world of business and education. Supported by the Management Standards Centre (the management standards setting body) and by QCA (the UK government regulator for standards in education), the qualification comes with the seal of approval from senior national organisations.”

ABE’s Marketing qualification was launched following requests from around the world. “Our first exams were held in June 2007,” says Harris, “and it is fully anticipated that this will become an important qualification route for those seeking to develop a career in this area or to pursue a specialist area of interest within Business Management.”

A key new course stream is the Association’s Financial Management programme. As Harris explains, “the certificate level has been developed in partnership with IAB qualifications for business, and the Diploma and Advanced Diploma with the Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA), a highly respected financial education body with a distinguished history of maintaining rigorous standards in this field.”

At the Certificate stage, many of the subjects are common to all of ABE’s streams. This enables students to use ABE programmes flexibly and will help them to decide in which field of management they wish to specialise. After completion of the Advanced Diploma in any stream, those wishing to progress to a first degree or MBA have the opportunity to do so on degree programmes at many universities worldwide. A further option is to study by distance learning for the final year of a first degree or an MBA. Over the next 12 months, ABE intends to review the content of all its syllabuses to ensure that it continues to offer the latest and best in research and development.

ABE Africa Seminars

Africa represents a key market for ABE and during the past three years ABE has witnessed unprecedented growth in new registrations in African countries such as Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania.

The Association’s commitment to business education across the Continent is evident from the very top. During September 2007, ABE Founder/Chairman, Lyndon Jones, is taking part in a series of visits around the Africa. Accompanied by Dr Penelope Hood from Anglia Ruskin University, Jones will be visiting Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique and holding seminars in Gaborone, Blantyre, and Lusaka. The seminars are intended to update accredited colleges within these countries on the latest developments at ABE.

A visit is also planned to Maputo in Mozambique where, accompanied by Professor Jack Makhaza from the Share World Open University in Malawi, Lyndon Jones will be seeking potential new colleges to add to ABE’s portfolio.

ABE in Africa

Botswana offers an example of a country where ABE has established firm roots. The Association of Business Executives programmes were first offered in Botswana in the early 1990’s by the Academy of Business Management, Professional Training Centre and the Gaborone Institute of Professional Studies (GIPS).

ABE tuition centres in Botswana are BOTA-registered (Botswana Training Authority) a pre-requisite today for any institution wishing to be accredited by the ABE to run its programmes. ABE stringent requirements for accreditation provide ample assurance that ABE centres operate within a well-regulated and closely monitored framework.

John Shaw, an ABE examiner who recently visited ABE accredited colleges in The Gambia, commends the professionalism and dedication of the staff, and the keenness of the students to learn how to improve in their ABE examinations.

“At every College, I spent time with staff, answering their questions and telling them about the changes and additions to the ABE programme. The lecturers I met are all very enthusiastic about ABE, and keen to hear about how our recent QCA accreditation will benefit them and their students too,” he said.

Flexibility and Affordability

ABE programmes offer significant advantages. These include university progression, giving entry to the second and final years of Bachelors degree programme at universities around the world. With relevant work experience students can fast track to an MBA. Within an affordable fee structure, the ABE qualification offers a quicker route to a degree, while the qualifications give students the skills to make a difference in the workplace, from communication to strategy.

The qualifications are globally recognised and ABE is recognised as an awarding body by QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority), an important stamp of quality in the UK. ABE have exemption arrangements with other professional bodies including ACCA, CIMA and BCS, saving students time and accrediting their learning. ABE students can study on a full-time or part-time basis and can join a local college, choose the distance learning option, or opt for self study.

For further information about ABE and details of ABE qualifications: www.abeuk.com