Northumbria champions responsible business education at World Economic Forum

Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University has joined a prestigious group of 38 higher education institutions from around the world to be part of the 2018-2019 cycle of PRME Champion Schools.

Founded in 2007, the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is a United Nations-led initiative. It aims to raise the profile of sustainability in business and management schools around the world, and equip students with the understanding and ability to deliver change for a better tomorrow.

In January, Newcastle Business School was appointed a PRME Champion School during a special event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It joins just six other representatives on the PRME Champions group within the UK and Ireland drawn from over 700 member institutions globally.

Over 40 academic leaders and corporate executives from top business schools and CEOs from leading businesses, gathered for the event. As a PRME Champion School, Newcastle Business School will act as a role model and exemplar of best practice to other higher education institutions globally.

Dr Alex Hope, Associate Professor of Business Ethics and Academic Lead for UN PRME at Newcastle Business School, said: “We are delighted to be appointed as a UN PRME Champion School for the next two-year cycle. This reinforces our commitment to responsible management education and research, which always seeks to place responsible business and citizenship at the heart of society.

“PRME learning, engagement and professional development objectives are integral to our teaching to ensure our students develop the knowledge, behaviours and skills to be confident, pro-active global citizens. Education, integrity, values and ethical business practices have a huge role to play in tackling the societal challenges that need solutions which the private sector and social enterprise can deliver.”

PRME is an initiative of the United Nations and UN Global Compact Sustainable Development Goals. It seeks to promote economic growth, innovation, affordable energy and upgraded infrastructure, as well as providing a path to end extreme poverty, tackling inequality and protecting the planet.

According to PRME estimations, there are over 16,000 business and management programmes worldwide. Organisations that join PRME believe that higher education institutions integrating universal values into curriculum and research can contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive global economy and help build more prosperous societies.

Also announced at the World Economic Forum, was Northumbria’s leading role in the creation of a £40 million nationwide Institute of Coding to help plug the digital skills gap in the UK.

Launched by Prime Minister Theresa May, the Institute of Coding aims to boost the employability of digital specialists and bring more people from underrepresented groups into the tech sector, which is growing twice as fast as the rest of the economy.

For more information please visit www.northumbria.ac.uk