York Executive MBA launched

Global business and university academics have joined forces to offer a career-enhancing opportunity for the region’s leaders.

A partnership between York St John University and international business consultancy Primeast has launched a degree apprenticeship to train principled, innovative leaders to lead the performance, long-term vision and growth of their organisations. 

The York Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) was officially launched at The Grand Hotel in York by Primeast and York St John University alongside employees who begin the course on October 22.

A team from St Anne’s Community Services, a major provider of health and social care services across Yorkshire and the North East, will be among the first learners to enrol. Lyndsay Swales, pictured, said: “As an area manager, I’m hoping that the MBA course will develop my strategic thinking and give me more knowledge around workforce planning. I’m also really excited to be a student again!”

Recent winners of the Queens Award for International Trade, Primeast, are trusted by industries around the globe to facilitate performance improvement in the fields of leadership, organisational change and teamwork. The Harrogate-based firm, who have instructed brands including Google and Rolls Royce, now operate in more than 40 countries.

Simon Tarver, Director of Primeast, said: “The strength behind the partnership with York St John University is this unique experiential aspect of the course. It will be distinctive in that students will be able to apply learning to a work environment. We’ve seen MBAs from providers with a strong academic perspective, and other providers with great industry-based, practical experience - this partnership has both.”

Jo Burgess, business development manager at York St John University, said: “Primeast has been working with experts at the heart of the business world for many years and the quality of their facilitators is what makes learning come alive. Due to this exciting partnership, learners will pursue independent research on a question or problem of their choice, engage with the scholarly debates in the relevant disciplines, and - with the guidance of a faculty mentor - produce a substantial paper that reflects a deep understanding of the topic.”

The MBA is offered exclusively as a level 7 Degree Apprenticeship and will combine both academic rigour and real-life workplace experience, allowing levy paying employers in England to offset their levy payments when engaging employees in this development program.