Aspen Institute: WWU MBA program among best in world

Written by Kira Cox | The Bellingham Herald | September 22, 2011

Western Washington University’s MBA program is one of the best programs in the world, according to the Apsen Institute.

The nonprofit group that focuses on promoting environmental and social values received surveys from about 600 schools. According to the website, the project, Beyond Grey Pinstripes, ” is an independent, biennial survey conducted by the Aspen Institute highlighting how academic institutions prepare students to meet the business challenges of tomorrow. Rankings are based on required and elective courses addressing social and environmental impact, and published on relevant topics.”

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s MBA program has been ranked in the top 100 programs worldwide and first in the state of Washington by the Aspen Institute.

WWU’s program finished 75th out of approximately 600 business schools invited to participate in the survey, which goes beyond mainstream academic content and ranks the programs on the institution’s efforts to integrate social, ethical and environmental concerns. Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business finished atop the list; Western finished ahead of such well-known programs as Boston University, the University of Texas, Oregon State University and Syracuse University.

“I am gratified that the Aspen Institute has once again recognized the Western MBA program’s excellence in integrating social, ethical and environmental issues into our curriculum,” said Brian Burton, dean of Western’s College of Business and Economics. “Our MBA program reflects the emphasis Western and the College of Business and Economics give to the social, ethical, and environmental aspects of business, and we provide businesses throughout the state with graduates who also hold those values.”

The criteria used to formulate the schools rank focuses on how well programs integrate social and environmental issues into the curriculum by:

MBA coursework – Written descriptions of any course offered to MBA students that includes content relating to social, ethical and environmental impacts..

Institutional support – Extracurricular activities, internship programs, clubs, career development initiatives, institutes and centers, joint degrees and specializations that the school offers that they believe help prepare their students for social and environmental stewardship in their professional endeavors.

Faculty research – Considers the number of relevant faculty written peer-reviewed articles that have been published on the integration of social and economic issues into business and economics.

The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of social and environmental values through nonpartisan studies and research. The institute, founded in 1950, has headquarters in Washington D.C. and campuses in Aspen, Colo., and in Maryland as well as internationally in Tokyo, Rome, Berlin, Lyon, New Delhi and Bucharest. For more information about the Aspen Institute visit http://www.aspeninstitute.org.

The Western MBA Program has been offering graduate business education in the Pacific Northwest for 30 years.  The program offers a part-time evening track, part-time weekend track, traditional two-year track, and accelerated one-year track to serve the needs of the increasingly diverse student population of the state of Washington.  Fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) as one of the top five percent of business schools globally, the Western MBA Program seeks to provide a high quality, personal, and flexible experience for its students.

Tags: Aspen Institute, business, environment, MBA, ranking, social, Western Washington Univesrity, WWU