Celebrating those at the pinnacle of business education: unveiling the shortlist for the AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards 2026

These awards are a tribute to the visionary business schools, outstanding students, accomplished graduates and influential leaders who embody the core values of ambition, impact and integrity that form part of the AMBA & BGA networks.

Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative 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.  

The nominees are:

· International Management Institute (MIM-Kyiv)

· Business School of Yunnan University of Finance and Economics

· University of Auckland Business School

· IE Business School

· Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin

· Grenoble Ecole de Management

Best Business School Partnership 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.

· POLIMI School of Management with UniCredit

· UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin with Bank of Ireland

· Bucharest University of Economic Studies with EY Romania,  The World Bank Romania, Asociatia pentru Valori in Educatie

· UBI Business School, with Publicis Commerce

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

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

Best CSR and Sustainability Initiative 2026

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.

The nominees are:

· University of Bradford School of Management for Circular Design for the Real World

· Goa Institute of Management for Roots to Results: GIM’s Integrated CSR and Sustainability Approach

· Mannheim Business School for 1,000 Tree Project

· CENTRUM Católica for Prosperity Lab (ProLab)

· Rajagiri Business School for Social Sensitisation Camp

· Universidad Externado de Colombia for Responsible Supply Chain Network

· Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham Business School for Global Responsibility Week

Best Lifelong Learning Initiative 2026

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.  

The nominees are:

· Indian Institute of Management Indore for The General Management Programme for Executives – offered in collaboration with Anisuma Training Institute FZ LLC, Dubai

· University of Dubai for Life Long Learning initiative

· UBI Business School for HyFlex delivery + MBA Specialisations

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

· Porto Business School for "Young Alumni Elective Access"

· GITAM School of Business for GITAM Innovation & Entrepreneurship Continuum

Best Innovation Strategy 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.

The nominees are:

· CENTRUM Católica

· Indian Institute of Management Indore

· IE Business School

· EGADE Business School

· Fortune Institute of International Business (FIIB)

· UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, University College Dublin

Best Digital Transformation 2026

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

New for 2026, 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.

It 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.

· BI Norwegian Business School

· Indian Institute of Management Indore

· UBI Business School

· POLIMI School of Management

· Manchester Metropolitan University Business School

· Universidad Torcuato Di Tella Escuela de Negocios

· CENTRUM Católica

· Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI)

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 reflects 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 showcase how they are contributing to the betterment of society using both quantitative and qualitative analysis of activities, initiatives and/or programmes.   

The nominees are: 

· University of Bath School of Management

· International Business School (IBS) at Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU)

· School of Economics and Management, Narxoz University

· IIM Visakhapatnam

· CENTRUM Católica

· School of Business Administration - Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics

Start-Up of the Year 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. 

It is open to both the private and public sector, and celebrates innovative business strategy and the process of taking something from idea to action.

The nominees are:

· Prabal Pratap Singh, Goa Institute of Management for SmartGram

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

· Aurélie Pécaud, Audencia Business School for Laborhêto

· Diego de la Torre, EAE Business School for WASI 3D

· Anna Gaivan, WU Executive Academy for Innovations from Heart

· Micah Leitch, Durham University Business School, Donup

Entrepreneur of the Year 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.

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

The nominees are:

· Vikas Jain, Indian Institute of Management Indore

· Gostina Malope, Porto Business School

· Warner Jenkins, IE Business School

· Fatima Hussein, Onsi Sawiris School of Business

· Hu Biao, Hohai University Business School

· Christian Nwachukwu, Aston Business School, Aston University

Postgraduate Leadership 2026

The Postgraduate Leadership award 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.  

The nominees are:

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

· Waleed Khalid Ismael Karkukli, University of Leicester School of Business

· Hengpeng Jiang, Hohai University Business School

· Bhaskar Ramesh, SP Jain Institute of Management & Research

· Mutisunge Zulu, Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester

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

AMBA Student of the Year 2026

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 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.

The nominees are:

· Dmytro Zubenko, Wroclaw University of Economics

· Victoria Tutt, King's Business School, King's College London

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

· Esmeralda Colombo, POLIMI School of Management

· Stephanie Hiew Ting Ting, Universiti Malaya Faculty of Business and Economics

· Miarizaka Fabien Randriamananjara, Kent Business School

BGA Student of the Year 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. 

The nominees are:

· Liv Heinemann, Regent's University London

· Facundo Biffi, UBI Business School

· Sourav Burman, GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research

· Aurora d’Alonzo, POLIMI School of Management

· Touseef Sheraz, BPP University

AMBA MBA Director of the Year 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.

The nominees are:

· Jatin Pandey,  Indian Institute of Management Indore

· Nick Quinn, Adam Smith Business School, University of Glasgow

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

· Nopadol Rompho, Thammasat Business School, Thammasat University

· Daniel Serrot, Universidad de San Andrés

· Eimear Nolan, Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin

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

· Sandro Sánchez, CENTRUM Católica

Book your place at AMBA & BGA Gala Dinner 2026