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History and milestones

Date Milestone
1969 The Open University founded by Royal Charter
1983 The Open University Business School (OUBS) founded, attracting 1,600 in its first year
1987 Funding to develop MBA announced
1989 MBA launched, and OUBS almost immediately becomes the largest business school in Europe
1989 OUBS offers courses in Eastern Europe
1992 First MBA degrees awarded
1994 OUBS awarded ‘excellent’ rating for business teaching by the UK Higher Education Funding Council
1994 OUBS is accredited by AMBA
1994 The Business School receives an IiP (Investors in People) award
1997 OUBS launches Law programme in partnership with the College of Law
1997 The Business School receives the Queen’s Award for Export
2000 First undergraduate management programme launched – the BA in Business Studies
2002 Launch of Corporate Learning Development Centre (now known as Centre for Professional Learning and Development)
2002 As a founder member of WADE (World Alliance on Distance Learning), OUBS involved in developing online post-MBA international business education programme
2004 Launch of Masters degree programmes. OUBS became triple-accredited with AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditation.
2005 OUBS awarded Certification of e-Learning by the European Foundation for Management Development, in partnership with the Swiss Centre for Innovation in Learning
2007 The OU joins Santander Universities, an international sponsorship scheme. Among other things, it will support an academic and international professorship programme at OUBS
2007 OUBS becomes founding partner of the SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) project to develop a leadership academy
2007 Electronic Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) launched to harness technology-led learning opportunities
2009 OUBS celebrates 20 years of its MBA programme and its 20,000th graduate
2010 The Business School launches the new MBA programme
2010 AACSB accreditation retained
2011 AMBA accreditation retained
2011 Signatory to UN Global Compact ‘Principles for Responsible Management Education’ (PRME)
2012 EQUIS accreditation retained
2013 OUBS launches Executive Education
2013 OUBS celebrates its 30th Anniversary Year and is nominated for Times Higher Business School of the Year award
2014 The Business School MBA is ranked 13th in the world in the Financial Times Online MBA Rankings, 2nd by CEO Magazine and 8th by QS Top MBA
2014 OUBS accepted into the Global Business School Network
2014 OUBS is nominated for Times Higher Business School of the Year award for the second consecutive year
2014 Launch celebrations for the 25th Anniversary of the MBA, celebrating our 25,000th graduate
2014 OUBS ranked highly in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) for impact (top quarter) and outputs (top third)
2015 AACSB and EQUIS accreditation retained
2016 Launch of innovative portfolio of MOOCs
2016 OUBS ranked 6th in Global Online MBA Rankings by CEO Magazine and QS Distance Online MBA Rankings
2016 OUBS featured in AACSB's Innovations That Inspire for significant investment in free online learning resources
2016 OUBS is nominated for Times Higher Business School of the Year award for a third time
2016 OUBS is shortlisted for the Association of MBAs Innovation Award
2017 OUBS is the winner of the Business Partnership category at the Guardian University Awards 2017
2017 OUBS ranked 7th in Global Online MBA Rankings by CEO Magazine and 1st for UK institutions
2017 OUBS is nominated for Times Higher Business School of the Year award for a fourth time
2018 Professor Devendra Kodwani takes up post of Executive Dean of the Business School
2018 EQUIS accreditation retained
2018 Advanced Signatory to UN Global Compact ‘Principles for Responsible Management Education’ (PRME)
2018 OUBS ranked 12th in Global Online MBA Rankings by CEO Magazine and 1st for UK institutions
2019 OUBS MBA Alum awarded an international Influential Leader Award by AACSB
2019 OUBS ranked 5th in Global Online MBA Rankings by CEO Magazine and 1st for UK institutions
2020 OUBS ranked 31st in QS Distance Online MBA Rankings
2020 Professor Siv Vangen appointed as Head of the Business School
2022 EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB accreditations retained
2022 Research Excellence Framework (REF) ranks 75% of OUBS's impact cases as internationally excellent or world-leading