POLIMI School of Management graduate Aurora d’Alonzo wins prestigious BGA Student of the Year Award 2026 in the AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards

Aurora d’Alonzo a graduate from POLIMI School of Management, has won the coveted BGA Student of the Year Award 2026.

The AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2026 were held on January 23, 2026 at the exceptional Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington, London. The Awards brought together leading lights from the global business education community to celebrate excellence and commend achievement among business schools, MBA students and graduates, suppliers and employers.

The ceremony was attended by more than 200 business school leaders, as well as category finalists, judges and members of the media.

The BGA Student of the Year Award recognises students who have shown exceptional career potential and who BGA believes can act as ambassadors for the global business school community.

This award doesn’t just recognise ‘straight-A’ students but also focuses on leadership potential and career progression for students of any business education degree programme. Shortlisted students therefore represent a wide range of different personal and professional backgrounds.

Aurora d’Alonzo made a life-changing decision when she left behind a thriving career for a Sustainability Masters. She started again at 34, as she is driven by a strong belief and deep intuition regarding her future in this fundamental area. She said: “POLIMI GSoM has been a true accelerator in this journey, empowering me both academically and personally.” She participated actively in curricular and extracurricular activities, demonstrating rapid and meaningful growth. Evidence that she stands out within her cohort is the fact that the school chose her as a member of the recently founded Impact Committee, a key pillar of their institution.

Aurora d’Alonzo, said of her win, “I am deeply honoured to receive the BGA Student of the Year Award 2026. This recognition symbolises a turning point in my life. Choosing sustainability was not simply a career move; it was an ethical commitment to align competence with conscience. POLIMI Graduate School of Management has been a powerful catalyst in this transformation. It has given me the space to grow, to lead with empathy, and to actively contribute to shaping a more responsible institution and society. I believe true leadership is not defined by titles, but by responsibility: the courage to act, to challenge existing models, and to create positive impact for others. I am proud to carry these values forward and to continue contributing to a more ethical, inclusive, and sustainable future.”

Federico Frattini, Dean at POLIMI Graduate School of Management said, “We are extremely proud of Aurora d’Alonzo and of her outstanding achievement. Her decision to reinvent her career and pursue sustainability with conviction, along with the academic and personal growth she demonstrated throughout her journey, exemplify the values at the heart of our School. Aurora has become a trusted and inspiring voice within our community and a valuable member of our Impact Committee. This award is a testament to her determination, leadership potential and commitment to creating meaningful impact.”

Andrew Main Wilson, Chief Executive of the Association of MBAs and Business Graduates Association (AMBA & BGA) said: “It is a genuine pleasure to congratulate Aurora d’Alonzo on being named the BGA Student of the Year 2026. This award honours students whose leadership, determination and future impact stand out across the global business school community, and Aurora embodies these qualities in every respect.

Her decision to boldly pivot her career and dedicate herself to sustainability demonstrates a rare combination of conviction and courage. Throughout her studies at POLIMI School of Management, she has shown exceptional personal and professional growth, becoming a trusted voice within her cohort and an influential member of the school’s Impact Committee.

Aurora’s passion for creating meaningful change, coupled with her ability to inspire others, makes her an outstanding ambassador for the values that BGA champions. We are delighted to celebrate her achievements and look forward to seeing the positive impact she will continue to make in the years ahead.

I would also like to express my sincere thanks to our sponsors Ready Education, GMAC, and Cesim Business Simulations for their continued support of our global awards and the business education community.”

For more information or interviews, please contact:

· Ellen Buchan, Insight, Content & PR Manager, AMBA & BGA – e.buchan@amba-bga.com

Awards selection process:

The finalists were shortlisted by AMBA & BGA’s senior management team. A panel of judges then reviewed the shortlisted entries, selecting a winner and a highly commended entry for each award. Our judging panel is made up of AMBA board members, business experts, deans and management leaders.

All of our judges were selected based on their experience and qualifications.

The winners and highly commended entries can be seen here.

Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative Award 2026

The Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative award has been introduced to recognise business schools and the work they have been doing to create, incorporate and develop culture, diversity and inclusion practices.

Winner

· Women Leadership Program, International Management Institute (MIM-Kyiv)

Highly commended

· Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women, University of Auckland Business School

· IE’s Inclusive Celebration Series: empowering culture, identity and belonging across campus, IE Business School

Best Business School Partnership Award 2026

The Best Business School Partnership award recognises institutions that share AMBA & BGA’s passion for building networks and have adopted a proactive, innovative approach to strategic collaboration.

It is open to any business school that is working strategically and collaboratively with (for example) another school/group of schools, an employer, a consultant, education partner or technology provider, a social impact group, an individual, a charity, or other organisation.

Winner

· Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow, Barefoot In Business Community Interest Company (CIC)

Highly commended

· POLIMI School of Management with UniCredit

· UBI Business School, with Publicis Commerce

· Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University with BJC Big C group

Best CSR and Sustainability Initiative Award 2026, in association with Cesim Business Simulations

The Best CSR and Sustainability Initiative award honours AMBA & BGA schools that share our commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability, and who are passionate about making a difference to communities and societies.

The award will recognise business schools that are taking the initiative in creating a sustainable future and teaching students about social values, as well as making a positive impact in practical and measurable ways.

Winner

· Responsible Supply Chain Network, Universidad Externado de Colombia

Highly commended

· 1,000 Tree Project, Mannheim Business School

· Social Sensitisation Camp, Rajagiri Business School

Best lifelong learning Initiative Award 2026, in association with Ready Education

The Best Lifelong Learning Initiative award recognises the efforts of AMBA & BGA schools that are reinventing teaching and learning among students, graduates, alumni networks and custom and executive education.

The winning entries will showcase the impact and success these initiatives have had not only on students but also on the business school itself.

Winner

· GITAM Innovation & Entrepreneurship Continuum, GITAM School of Business

Highly commended

· HyFlex delivery + MBA Specialisations, UBI Business School

· AI University and Metaverse Campus Initiative, Berlin School of Business and Innovation

Best Innovation Strategy Award 2026

The Best Innovation Strategy award honours a school’s achievement in pushing boundaries in terms of creativity in practice.

This prestigious award is a celebration of innovation and radical thinking in business education delivery across all areas of the business school and has been developed to recognise and reward game-changing new practices, risks and creativity around programmes on offer at business schools in the AMBA & BGA networks.

It promotes the values of taking risks in pursuit of the new in a range of areas, such as teaching, learning, recruitment and alumni relations.

Winner

· AI-Powered Job Matching Tool (JMT), IE Business School

High commended

· Business learning in graduate education through immersive gamification and video games, EGADE Business School

· B-Involved Program, Fortune Institute of International Business (FIIB)

Best Digital Transformation Award 2026

The Best Digital Transformation award showcases a school’s journey to implementing new and world-class technology.

This award recognises schools that have pushed past the expected digital proficiency expected of a business school and developed or implemented a seamless digital experience.

This award has been developed to showcase digital change in any aspect of a business school’s day-to-day operations – for example, this could be in implementing new learning management systems, adopting new devices in the school, or digitising administrative processes. Initiatives might also be school-wide or instead relate to the implementation of a technology in one specific module or area.

Winner

· BI Norwegian Business School, Norway

Highly commended

· Indian Institute of Management Indore, India

· POLIMI School of Management, Italy

· Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, UK

BGA Business School Impact Award 2026

The BGA Business School Impact Award is open to BGA member, validated and accredited schools that can demonstrate their impact on all stakeholders, alongside BGA’s vision and charter. 

This award celebrates and reflect on the positive impact that a business school is exerting on students and graduates, communities and the economy as a whole.  

By validating how positive impact, continuous improvement and responsible management have enhanced the stakeholder experience, business school nominees here showcase how they are contributing to the betterment of society using both quantitative and qualitative analysis of activities, initiatives and/or programmes.  

Winner

· The Narxoz/CIM Integration Initiative, School of Economics and Management, Narxoz University

Highly commended

· Bath Institute for Digital Security and Behaviour, University of Bath School of Management, UK

· Mutual Empowerment through Experiential Consulting, International Business School (IBS) at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), China

· The Construction of the Chinese School of Management, School of Business Administration - Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics, China

Start-Up of the Year Award 2026

The Start-Up of the Year award celebrates the achievements of successful students and alumni in innovative world-class business strategy, but also showcases business schools that are nurturing a spirit of enterprise and ambition.

This award highlights the success of AMBA & BGA business schools that promote entrepreneurship in their cohorts. The award is also a chance for individuals to impress high-profile judges who are already at the forefront of global entrepreneurship.

The Start-up of the Year award is designed to encourage and promote the value of start-up business strategy and innovation, in the current competitive climate and to showcase its importance in the global market.

The Start-up of the Year award is open to both private and public sectors, celebrating innovative business strategy and the process of taking something from idea to action.

Winner

· Samuel Tecuala, King's Business School, King's College London, UK for Dehusk

Highly commended

· Micah Leitch, Durham University Business School, UK, for Donup

· Prabal Pratap Singh, Goa Institute of Management, India, for SartGram

Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2026

The Entrepreneur of the Year award celebrates the achievements of successful alumni entrepreneurs, but also showcases business schools that are nurturing a spirit of enterprise and ambition.

This award highlights the success of business schools that promote entrepreneurship in their cohorts. It is also a chance for individuals to impress high-profile judges who are already at the forefront of global entrepreneurship.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award is one of the most distinguished awards in the industry. AMBA & BGA has developed the award to encourage and promote the value of entrepreneurship in the current competitive climate and to highlight its importance in the global market.

The Entrepreneur of the Year award is open to both private and not-for-profit sectors. This award is designed to celebrate the impact made by growing organisations in terms of development and will look at an enterprise’s results and achievements.

Winner

· Warner Jenkins, IE Business School, Spain

Highly commended

· Christian Mwachuku, Aston Business School, Aston University, UK

· Gostina Malope, Porto Business School, Portugal

Postgraduate Leadership Award 2026

The Postgraduate Leadership Award 2026 honours alumni from AMBA & BGA business schools who have been making an impact in the business world following their graduation.  

The award recognises the great work of these graduates through their achievements, performance and recognition. 

Winner 

· Cristian Von Schulz Hausmann, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella Escuela de Negocios, Argentina

Highly commended

· Michelle Steele, QUT Graduate School of Business, Queensland University of Technology, Australia

· Bhaskar Ramesh, SP Jain Institute of Management & Research, India

AMBA Student of the Year Award 2026, in association with GMAC

The AMBA Student of the Year Award plays a pivotal role in supporting AMBA’s pledge to promote the MBA as the leading international business qualification.

The AMBA Student of the Year Award recognises students who have shown exceptional career potential and who AMBA believes can act as ambassadors for the high quality of accredited MBAs and the opportunities these programmes provide for students.

This award doesn’t just recognise ‘straight-A’ students but also focuses on leadership potential and career progression.

Winner

· Esmeralda Colombo, POLIMI School of Management, Italy

Highly commended

· Raymond Xiang Zheng, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, UK

· Miarizaka Fabien Randriamananjara, Kent Business School, UK

BGA Student of the Year Award 2026

The BGA Student of the Year Award 2026 recognises students who have shown exceptional career potential and who BGA believes can act as ambassadors for the business school community. The students will be from a wide range of different personal and professional backgrounds and can be studying any business school degree programme.

This award doesn’t just recognise ‘straight-A’ students but also focuses on leadership potential and career progression. 

Winner

· Aurora d’Alonzo, POLIMI School of Management, Italy

Highly commended

· Liv Heinemann, Regent's University London, UK

· Sourav Burman, GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, India

AMBA MBA Director of the Year Award 2026

The AMBA MBA Director of the Year Award is central to upholding AMBA’s commitment to maintaining the MBA degree as the premier global business qualification. It celebrates Programme Directors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and management of their MBA programmes, enabling their institutions to deliver truly transformative experiences that create meaningful opportunities for all participants.

Winner

· Caitlin Ferreira, University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, South Africa

Highly commended

· Daniel Serrot, Universidad de San Andrés, Argentina

· Raj Krishnan Shankar, Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, India