DBA (Doctor of Business Administration): Links with business and industry

One of Kingston Business School's key strengths is its close collaboration with professional organisations. We aim to ensure that our programmes bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice by working closely with the business world's principal professional bodies and harmonise our courses with the needs of today's business practitioners.

We enjoy recognition or accreditation from:

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) – we're one of only ten Centres of Excellence among UK universities;
• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC);
• Association of MBAs (AMBA);
• Chartered Management Institute;
• Chartered Institute of Marketing;
• Market Research Society;
• Institute of Direct Marketing;
• Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators; and
• The Law Society.

Kingston Business School benefits from being a founding member of the European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration (EDAMBA) and its sister organisation, the European Doctoral School on Knowledge and Management (EUDOKMA).

EDAMBA aims to increase quality and promote excellence in doctoral learning through the pursuit of educational diversity and the exchange of knowledge among participating schools.

EUDOKMA aims to create an environment in which doctoral students can develop and transfer knowledge across both academic society and professional management practice.

Membership of the EUDOKMA network enabled Kingston to be recognised by the European Commission as a registered Marie Curie Training Site, a scheme that accepted EU-funded Marie Curie Fellows from across Europe.

Our links with EDAMBA and EUDOKMA also enable us to engage in collaborative ventures with partner institutions across Europe, including Henley Management College in the UK, ESADE in Spain, Copenhagen Business School in Denmark and the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden. Through these collaborations, Kingston research associates have regular opportunities to access a variety of events such as summer schools, seminars and workshops and networking sessions.

Many of our postgraduate students have significant experience in the workplace and are combining study with their career. This means that you can benefit from the networking opportunities provided by meeting other students with managerial positions in national and international organisations, such as Heinz, HSBC, BT, PricewaterhouseCoopers and British Airways.

In addition, Kingston's Alumni Association grants free lifelong membership to all graduates. You will have the chance to meet regularly to continue your professional development or simply to network and socialise.

As well as meeting the requirements of doctoral education, the thesis provides a valuable opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and business practice through a major piece of research that has important and immediately applicable managerial implications.

Our successful Strategy into Practice seminar series, which has been running for many years, is designed to give you the opportunity to gain experience of strategy within major enterprises. You will hear first-hand accounts, from top managers, on the management of complex international organisations, promoting innovation and creativity, instituting cultural change and managing growth.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions and to network after each session with academic staff and local business leaders. These seminars are open to external attendees, alumni and students.