First SA institution in line for international accreditation in USA
Companies can no longer operate in isolation from the global economies, if they wish to compete in an ever varying economy, most especially an economy that plays to the ever changing rate of exchange as well as an ever changing labour market with varying skills demands.
Ari Katz, CEO of Boston City Campus provides insights as to the benefits of adding international as well as internationally recognised qualifications to your CV. “Modern-day companies and industries have become quite flat structures to enable more opportunities for more people, on a global scale. As part of the fourth industrial revolution, employers and employees have to embrace new ideas, concepts, and strategies. Organisations aim to remain competitive and relevant by operating on a broad platform, liaising with international businesses, exchanging goods and services; and implementing these new ideas and services in their own corporate structure. To remain competitive and relevant, employees and business owners will need to be armed with international skills and equivalencies so that they can operate on a global scale”.
Today, anyone aspiring for a career in the management domain needs to have a global mindset to get a career break in the current business industry. ‘International’ is a serious concept and buzzword in today’s marketplace. It is a highly valued aspect of ones CV. “An international degree helps you create a robust bridge between you and your future career, through which you can achieve a greater exposure to attain the opportunities in the first place,” says Alok Mishra. According to Jason Raiffe, director at EduQual, (UK), “topping up your local qualification with an accredited international qualification makes you a global player. Moreover, even when you operate locally, it makes you that much more attractive to your local employers.”
Katz adds that Boston is now also a candidate for accreditation of specific programmers by the ACBSP – the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (United States of America).
The Boston CEO considers why these international accreditations and recoginition are significant for Boston as an institution, and outlines some benefits for the student.
According to Dr H.J Botha: Academic Head at Boston, higher education institutions increasingly have to locate themselves within the global context of an ever-changing educational landscape. “At the same time, there is a strong drive to show how contextual realities shape educational theory and practices. In other words – higher education institutions such as Boston must stay in touch with the needs and skills demands of business to remain relevant.” In this space, Higher Ed as an industry needs to think local and act global. Put another way, Educational Institutions must ensure that their approach to education is sensitive to the realities of life in South Africa while at the same time maintaining an active link with what is happening globally. “Boston’s goal to gain international recognition for its graduates’ is a strategic move for the institution. The accreditation gives expression to the Department of Higher Education and Training’s (DHET) draft policy on the internationalisation of higher education,” says Dr Botha.
Boston City Campus (Boston) is recognised and awarded accreditation as an Independent Higher Education institution with the British Accreditation Council (BAC). The BAC is recognised globally as an influential voice on standards and quality for the education sector.
“We believe strongly in the importance of Higher Education being locally accredited as well as globally,” says Katz. “The world is a small operating system and work borders fall away when you hold globally recognised qualifications.”
Says Dr Botha: “We will continue to pursue international relationships that will benefit students and enhance our approach to meeting the needs of students in the South African context, and open doors beyond our borders.”
