2017 marks the 40th anniversary of the MBA (Master of Business Administration) at the University of Glasgow and the series of celebrations launched with a panel event celebrating leadership and influence, writes Claire Smith, Adam Smith Business School.

Previous programme directors, academics, current students, friends of the MBA and alumni, including a few from the very first cohort 40 years ago, came together to celebrate this occasion in the Kelvin Gallery.

Professor John Finch, Head of Adam Smith Business School, welcomed the audience and before introducing the panel, he referenced the past and thanked those who have supported the MBA in the previous four decades, but also looked ahead to the future of the Adam Smith Business School. He highlighted the links and partnerships with institutions such as McGill University in Canada and Nankai University in China, which have been established through the School’s triple accreditation. Professor Finch also spoke about the University’s commitment to the School, with the investment in new facilities at the old Western Infirmary site.

The panel was a line-up of stimulating speakers and experts in their fields: Professor Ronald MacDonald OBE, discussed Adam Smith and his ‘Wealth of Nations’, focusing on how his thoughts on developing a commercial nation, productivity, the need for research and development and inequality are as relevant today as they were more than 200 years ago. Dr Thomas Anker, Senior Lecturer in Management, delivered on one of his toughest assignments by condensing Smith’s ‘Theory of Moral Sentiments’ into five current principles of management. The final speaker was Amanda McMillan OBE, Chief Executive for AGS Airports and a member of the Adam Smith Business School’s Strategic Advisory Board. Amanda discussed the need for lifelong education and gave examples of how her life has benefitted from education and what she felt are the benefits of studying for an MBA, such as an increase in a person’s employability, a chance for them to increase their networks, an ability to take risks and an attribute vital in management today. As an alumna of the School, she also praised the quality of a degree from the University and how valuable the triple accreditation is for the Business School, echoing Professor Finch’s earlier observations.

Following a thought-provoking Q&A session, the evening ended with a chance to reconnect with old faces and establish new connections. The MBA at 40 – a meeting of great minds and friends reunited.

An image celebrating the Adam Smith Business School at 40 and showing (L-R) Dr Thomas Anker, Amanda McMillan OBE, Professor Ronald MacDonald OBE and Professor John Finch.



First published: 5 June 2017

<< 2017 May-Jun


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