At Alliance Manchester Business School, the % of females in our full-time MBA class has been steadily increasing over the years. Our latest intake, the Full-time MBA Class of 2023, is 46% female. This percentage exceeds the average number of women on MBAs at the majority of top business schools.
Our Full-time MBA programme is paving the way in creating an equal and diverse working environment. Ranked 4th in the UK, we not only provide our MBA candidates with a world class education, but also the opportunity to learn in an environment that is supportive and encouraging for all.
Current MBA student Katherine Palomino is proud that the school promotes empowerment and inclusion. International Women’s Day in particular, she says, is of great importance and the Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) website has many stories and research case studies to show how societal norms are changing and forging a path for future women to follow.
Palomino values the networking events specifically surrounding women leading in business, a great opportunity to make new connections and speak with other aspiring business people. There are also a number of student societies supporting women, such as the Women in Business Society. This society holds events, workshops and networking opportunities with a focus on inspirational women in business. At AMBS female candidates can apply for two scholarships: Forte Foundation scholarship and 30% club Female Business Leader scholarship.
Since joining the MBA class, Palomino says, “I have realised even more that I have a role to play in supporting other women.”
Raiha Nawal, a fellow MBA student, agrees. “There is a need for women to support and guide each-other, and the cohort enables this to happen”, she says, explaining that the make-up of an MBA cohort can be a deciding factor for picking a business school.
But it’s not just women supporting women. For Nawal, an important part of the MBA is that everyone supports everyone regardless of gender; the class is full of allies and are aligned in their values. “Peer learning is an essential part of the course, with people offering to share knowledge or skills that may have been integral to previous jobs or topics they had worked in that others have no idea about,” she says.
Ellen Murphy, also currently studying the MBA, says that the almost even male to female ratio creates a great classroom dynamic. “There are opportunities for both men and women to speak up and participate.”
AMBS has set a great example of an MBA programme that has achieved an almost perfect gender balance. This ratio is impressive compared to the industry average, considering that research from the Forté Foundation revealed that more than one in five students and alumni from 57 business schools — and a third of minority women surveyed - said their MBA programme’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts did not meet their expectations.
"By reaching this milestone of 46% women and providing a supportive environment, we are ahead of other business schools, giving students the capacity to flourish and achieve their full potential. We are creating the next generation of business leaders, both male and female, who are talented, inspiring, capable – and ready to tackle tomorrow’s challenges." Chris Healy, Head of MBA Marketing and Recruitment.