Dr Leila Alinaghian is set to lead the redesign of Cranfield School of Management’s MBA programme following her appointment as Full-time MBA Course Director.
Building on the strong history and credibility of Cranfield’s MBA, the transformative programme will aim to offer more problem-based learning, a higher level of personal development opportunities including international experience, and further leverage its award-winning alumni network through an array of mentoring and coaching schemes.
Commenting on her appointment, Dr Alinaghian said: “I’m delighted to be undertaking a new role as MBA Course Director. In a post-pandemic world, we know the Cranfield MBA will be key to transforming organisations, and we are extremely excited to help educate the next generation of socially responsible business leaders through our transformative MBA.
“We understand the importance of preparing students for their future career, and through the transformative, leadership-focused MBA course we will offer our students more problem-, experiential-, and employer-lead learning – to increase their career prospects and market awareness, with the aim of improving employability. The course aims to increase students’ exposure to the world of work through a variety of employer engagement activities with an enhanced focus on internships and immersive consultancy projects.”
MBA students will have the chance to customise their courses, focusing on their personal needs - whether they would like to explore an internship, consultancy or an entrepreneurship journey.
Professor David Oglethorpe, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of Cranfield School of Management explains: "Cranfield School of Management is already part of a fantastic, inspiring community - both locally and internationally – and our renewed focus will enhance the tools we have to better offer students the experiential and practical experience they need in the workplace. At Cranfield we have an outstanding history and through our tailored course design we can offer a truly dynamic course within an extremely competitive market.”
Dr Alinaghian, who joined Cranfield in 2015, added: “We refer to the Cranfield Full-time MBA as transformative because it’s a word we hear time and time again from our alumni, students and faculty. We provide an immersive, safe environment for students to expand their mindset, explore new interests as well as their strengths and weaknesses, and develop their expertise. Students immerse themselves into real-world practice and gain exposure to a diverse range of cultures and management styles; it ultimately all combines in individuals who express their talents to thrive and realise their full potential. I’m proud to be leading this immersive programme, and look forward to watching our MBA students grow and make a real impact on businesses, individuals, and wider society.”
Dr Alinaghian is an Associate Professor (Reader) of Business Relationships and Impact. Her research seeks to advance the scholarship and understanding of managing business relationships for social impact. She is presently supervising several PhD and DBA work and sits on a number of doctoral review panels. Dr Alinaghian is a fellow of Higher Education Academy. She is also a member of Academy of Management, British Academy of Management, European Operations Management Association and Strategic Management Society.
