AIM MBA program no. 1 in Asia, 52nd worldwide

The Asian Institute of Management's MBA program was ranked No. 1 among Asian business schools and No. 52 worldwide. AIM has demonstrated significant leadership in preparing the next generation of business leaders equipped with the vision and knowledge necessary to integrate corporate profitability with social value, according to the Aspen Institute’s 2011-2012 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a ranking survey of business schools. While many MBA rankings exist, only Beyond Grey Pinstripes looks beyond reputation and test scores to measure something much more important—how well schools are preparing their students for the environmental, social, and ethical complexities of modern-day business. “AIM is honored to be included among the top-ranked schools in the world," said AIM president Edilberto de Jesús. “Since its establishment in 1968, AIM has sought to promote the sustainable development of Asian societies by developing leaders and managers who are not only innovative entrepreneurs and expert professionals, but who are also conscious of their social responsibilities," he said. This year, 149 business schools from 22 countries participated in a year-long effort to map the landscape of teaching and research on issues pertaining to business and society. “In all scoring categories used to determine the ranking, business schools have raised the bar," said Judith Samuelson, executive director of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program, which conducted the Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey. “There are more courses with content on social, ethical, and environmental issues, more courses about the role of business as a positive agent for change, more exposure of students to this content, and more research published by faculty on relevant topics," Samuelson said. “Asia is complex," AIM dean Ricardo Lim said. "Asia's economies are growing rapidly, yet poverty and inequality are becoming more pronounced. AIM’s MBA focuses on responsible decisions. MBA students examine social and environmental impact, not just profit. This is what the Aspen Institute has commended." This ranking marked the first opportunity since the global economic downturn to comprehensively measure the extent to which MBA programs have altered the content of their courses and whether faculty are pursuing research that questioned assumptions about the role of business in society. About the Asian Institute of Management AIM is a pioneer in international management education. It was established in 1968 with the Harvard Business School, the Ford Foundation, academicians, and businessmen. The founders envisioned AIM as a source of 21st century Asian change agents and designed the school’s master and executive programs to produce managers with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes relevant to Asia. Their initiative made AIM one of the most experienced institutions in Asia, producing 38,000 managers. While AIM is based in the Philippines, its clientele are in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Greater Mekong area. AIM is the first school in Southeast Asia to achieve accreditation from the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) based on the highest international standards. About the Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, along with its Center for Business Education, seeks to create business leaders for the 21st century who are equipped with the vision and knowledge necessary to integrate corporate profitability with social value. To that end, it offers programs that provide business educators with the resources they need to incorporate issues of social and environmental stewardship into their teaching, research, and curriculum development. The complete ranking of the Top 100 MBA programs is available at http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/. (Press Release)