9 April 2014 (Dubai - United Arab Emirates): Manchester Business School Middle East Centre in Dubai (MBS) has been recognised for its outstanding continuing professional development (CPD) work by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants - the global body for professional accountants) at a special recognition ceremony in Dubai, attended by Helen Brand OBE, ACCA's Chief Executive, and Martin Turner FCCA, ACCA President - visiting Dubai for the first time. MBS has worked with the ACCA in the UAE since 2010, and globally supports around 850 part-time MBA students who are also ACCA members.

MBS is an ACCA Approved Learning Partner in the region and was the first (in 2010) business school in the Middle East to be awarded Registered CPD Provider Status by the ACCA, whose members must undertake a minimum of 40 hours of CPD every year.

The part-time Manchester Global 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. The Middle East Centre of Manchester Business School coordinates over 1,600 part-time MBA students in the region. MBS is ranked in the world's top business schools by the Financial Times.

Helen Brand OBE, ACCA Chief Executive, presented the award, which was accepted by the MBS Middle East Director, Randa Bessiso, who also delivered an acceptance speech at the event.

Commenting on the award, Randa Bessiso, said: "Manchester Business School was delighted to be the first business school in the region to be awarded Registered CPD Provider Status by ACCA; the Middle East Centre was also the first of our seven MBS international centres worldwide to be accorded this distinction. Working in collaboration with professional organisations such as the ACCA has been one of the main contributors to our success in the Middle East, helping shape our programmes and keeping them up to date and relevant. MBS is helping to support ACCA members to broaden their business perspectives and competencies, and accelerating careers in the process."

With a global network and 162,000 members worldwide, the ACCA is rated as the leading global professional accountancy body by employers around the world. 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 MBS Middle East Centre is the largest and fastest growing in the school's international network, which consists of seven executive centres (Manchester, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Miami).

About Manchester Business School
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 Middle East by WPR.

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Jonathan Walsh
WPR
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© Press Release 2014