£250,000 Scottish Silver Scholarship scheme launched by Edinburgh Business School

Under the scheme, 25 individuals, resident in Scotland, will be awarded a fully-funded place to study the Edinburgh Business School Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, delivered by independent learning.

Edinburgh Business School is the Graduate School of Business of Heriot-Watt University and offers one of the most popular and flexible MBA programmes in the world, with more than 11,800 active students and 19,200 alumni worldwide, including almost 1,000 students and graduates in Scotland.

The Edinburgh Business School MBA can be studied entirely by independent learning which enables working professionals to combine studying with work, family and other commitments. They continue to earn while they learn, putting their new skills and expertise into practice immediately.

The programme is unique in its flexibility, enabling students to study wherever they are in the world, sit exams in more than 400 exam centres, and take a break between modules if required.

The MBA can be the springboard to a new career, help participants launch new ventures or businesses, or accelerate their promotion as they develop, both personally and professionally.

Dr Mark Pierotti, originally from Paisley, undertook the Edinburgh Business School MBA because he was determined to run his own airline, an ambition he realised in 2007 when he set up AJA Private Jets, a chartered airline based in Abu Dhabi, which now boasts 60 staff and four aircraft.

“As the Chief Operating Officer of an airline in Abu Dhabi I use my Edinburgh Business School MBA skills every day from marketing the airline, to managing my staff, to understanding the financial reports,” he said.

“A reflection of the value of the MBA is that we managed to launch an airline at a time when the market conditions in the aviation industry were at their worst. The knowledge I gained helped me navigate problems and overcome them when others might have been deterred.”

Mark has recently been awarded the title of Global Scot by the Scottish Government and will now be an industry ambassador for Scottish business abroad in the fields of aerospace, technology and education.

Alick Kitchin, acting head of Edinburgh Business School, said the School is delighted to celebrate its continued success by launching the scholarship scheme: “Edinburgh Business School has an incredible track record in developing business professionals across the globe over the last 25 years. During this, our anniversary year, we want to contribute to the community in Scotland by offering 25 fully-funded scholarships for our world-renowned MBA programme.

“We are looking to encourage and support committed individuals, who are determined to make a difference to their organisation or community, to achieve their ambitions by studying for an MBA. Our programme will enable 25 scholars to develop both personally and professionally, so this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is the perfect springboard to meet new challenges, launch new enterprises, and make their dreams a reality.”

Each of the 25 scholarship recipients will have their nine self-study MBA modules and exams fully-funded. The cost of each scholarship is valued at more than £10,000 and will also include a four-day on-campus teaching seminar and two-day revision session for one course.

Applications must be received by June 30, 2016 with the programme starting in September 2016.

A judging panel chaired by leading Scottish businesswoman Shonaig Macpherson will review all applications and select their successful recipients. Shonaig is currently interim Chair of the Edinburgh Business School Board. The five-strong panel will also include MBA graduate Iain Sinclair, and Senior Teaching Fellow Murray Steele.

For more information about the scholarships and how to apply: www.ebsglobal.net/silver