11 July 2010 (Dubai, UAE): The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the global body for professional accountants, has awarded Registered CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Provider Status to the Middle East International Executive Centre of Manchester Business School, which coordinates over 700 MBA students in the region. MBS is ranked in the world's top business schools by the Financial Times.

This is the first time that the ACCA has awarded this status to a business school in the region. As a result, MBS will be able to offer CPD programmes to the ACCA's 1,300 members (and 7,000 students) in the region, for whom CPD is compulsory (minimum of 40 hours per year). The Manchester MBA programme as a whole or in part (as individual modules) can contribute CPD credits for ACCA members. For those who may not wish to undertake the full MBA, there is also the option of early exit points at the PG Certificate and PG Diploma stages of the MBA programme.

Deepak Chainani, Country Manager UAE & Qatar for the ACCA, commented: "ACCA congratulates Manchester Business School in Dubai on being an Approved Learning Partner in the Middle East to be registered to provide continuing professional development (CPD) courses for ACCA members in the region. We are very excited by the prospect that ACCA's growing membership in the region will more easily be able to access relevant CPD to ensure that they maintain and develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today's dynamic and demanding business environment".

The Registered CPD Provider status is awarded as global membership of the ACCA continues to grow, with a rise of more than six per cent in 2009 to more than 140,000. ACCA student numbers stand at more than 400,000, rising more than 10 per cent in 2009.

Randa Bessiso, Director Middle East, Manchester Business School, added: "Manchester Business School is delighted to be the first business school to be awarded this status by the ACCA in the region; the Middle East International Executive Centre is also the first of our nine MBS international executive centres worldwide to be accorded this distinction. We are now looking forward to working closely with the ACCA to add real benefits for ACCA members and students in the region and to meet their professional skills development needs."

With a global network and members in 170 countries, the ACCA is rated as the leading global professional accountancy body by employers around the world. The ACCA aims to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.

 The Middle East International Executive Centre became the largest in the school's international network following a record student intake, in July 2009. The international network consists of eight executive centres outside the UK (Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Malaysia, Caribbean, Brazil, Middle East, US). January 2010 was the largest single intake of students since the school opened in Dubai in 2006 and brought the total to over 700 MBA students in the region. (the school has two intakes each year in January and July)

http://www.mbs.ac.uk/mba/global

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Notes for editors:
Manchester Business School is the UK's largest campus-based business and management school. It provides a comprehensive range of undergraduate, postgraduate and custom-made executive programmes, for organisations from both the private and public sectors. Manchester Business School holds triple MBA accreditation - AMBA, EQUIS, AACSB. All successful MBA students are awarded a degree by the University of Manchester and no distinction is made between the different learning formats - all have reached the same high standard expected of a Manchester MBA.

Issued on behalf of MBS Worldwide by WPR.

For more information, please contact
Jonathan Walsh/Vanessa Payne
WPR
Tel: + 971 50 4588610
Email: jon@wprme.com   

Jonathan Walsh
Managing Director
WPR (ME) Limited
PO Box 122606
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Mobile: +971 50 4588610
Email: jon@wprme.com

© Press Release 2010