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University of Reading

Reading and Henley: celebrating 10 years of success

Friday, 03 August 2018

Henley Business School

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the merger between Henley Business School and the University of Reading. And there is much to celebrate!  

On 1 August 2008 Henley Management College merged with the University, creating a large, vibrant and global Business School – which as you know, now offers everything from undergraduate degrees through to MBAs and Executive Education.

The core aim of Henley Business School is to empower people to become successful professionals and outstanding business leaders by providing an excellent learning experience. 

By combining resources with the University, the institution has become an elite business school with strengths and capabilities to meet this ambition, to have a positive impact on society, and rise to the challenges of the constantly changing business world.

Together, we have an international community of staff, students and alumni. Henley alone boasts 75,000 alumni in more than 150 countries and has delivered training and consultancy on a global scale. Henley Business School South Africa recently welcomed a record number of participants to its campus.

Highlights from recent years include:

  • The University receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education in 2009 and 2012. In 2012, Henley hosted the Diamond Jubilee Garden Party attended by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.
  • Henley now holds triple accreditation with AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB, successfully passing through multiple audits.
  • The Flying Start Accounting and Business Programme launched in collaboration with PwC in 2012.  
  • The opening of the University of Reading’s campus in Malaysia in 2016 at which a high proportion of participants are taking part in Henley degrees. 
  • The Real Estate and Planning Department celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, from its beginnings as a University Department to an integral part of Henley’s offering, and the ICMA Centre has celebrated over 25 years delivering excellence in finance.
  • Innovations in Executive Education including jointly launching the Army Higher Education Pathway for Army Officers to study for MSc and BSc degrees in Leadership and Strategic Studies and becoming one of the first business schools to offer Apprenticeship Levy programmes funded by business and government.
  • Henley has grown exponentially over the last decade and now has 150 faculty and over 7,000 students from 140 countries.

Professor John Board, Dean of Henley Business School, said: “We are all very proud to be part of a great Business School that now plays an important role in the University of Reading. That we have achieved so much is entirely down to the huge efforts and enthusiasm of all involved both in 2008 and since.”

As well as looking back, we are very much looking forward, to the future. These past few years have seen dramatic developments in the educational, political, economic, social and technological environments.

From Brexit to the rise of the robots, significant changes are happening and, as educational, management and leadership experts, we have a duty to add to the debate and support students and organisations in dealing with the complex environment and creating a sustainable future.