The new Dean of London Metropolitan Business School (LMBS) has vowed to make the School the preferred choice for students in London within the next five years.
Date: 28/05/2012
The new Dean of London Metropolitan Business School (LMBS) has vowed to make the School the preferred choice for students in London within the next five years.
Professor Stephen Perkins, whose illustrious and diverse career has included an academic post at the University of Oxford and senior management positions in industry, says his aim is to make LMBS students the most employable in the city.
“My main mission is to ensure we produce London’s most business-ready graduates”, he said. “I want to capitalise on our location in the heart of the international city of London and the many links we have with business.
“We are a sleeping giant, and in five year’s time I expect us to be the first choice of business school in London.”
Stephen joins London Metropolitan University from the University of Bedfordshire, where he was Associate Dean for Research and Quality. It marks a return for the businessman and scholar, who joined the University of North London (forerunner of London Met) as an academic in 2000.
He said: “I’m really enjoying the role so far. One of the key things I want to do is ensure recognition of the tremendous expertise we have here. There is some excellent knowledge and talent in LMBS and we need to harness it better.”
Stephen’s industry experience is impressive. He was a member of the Electricity Privatisation Team that oversaw the privatisation of the UK energy industry in the 1990s. He also served as HR Director at National Power before setting up entrepreneurial enterprise backed by 30 Blue Chip companies.
Stephen has a solid academic background with a DPhil in Management from the University of Oxford, where he taught at University College. He also occupied a teaching post at the University of North London. His first professorial chair was at London Metropolitan University, followed by his second at the University of Bedfordshire. He is an honorary visiting professor at City University.
However, it’s not just extensive experience that Stephen brings to London Met; he brings fresh ideas, too. A new programme is being developed which will see students’ fees used to support student start-up enterprises. Alongside seed funding, mentoring will be provided as part of LMBS courses to help hone entrepreneurship skills and business know-how. This will represent a direct contribution to the future success of LMBS graduates.
Stephen has also initiated the introduction of a ‘Pre-experience’ MBA for full-time study entrants. Normally, applicants for the MBA are required to have two-years’ work experience, but in the current economic climate this is becoming increasingly unrealistic.
“Given the current job market, the insistence on employment experience is actually inhibiting very able candidates from accessing the education they need. The idea is to build simulated work experience into the course to enable the students to develop this knowledge whilst they study.
“The MBA is the flagship course of any business school and this very exciting product will open up significant market opportunities for LMBS”, said Stephen.
There are many more innovative ideas in the pipeline, making for an exciting time ahead for LMBS.
Professor Perkins is a man with a clear vision of what a successful business school should look like, and the proven experience and drive to realise it. As London Metropolitan Business School continues to strengthen ties with business around the world, he plans to also strengthen ties closer to home.
“I want the School to work collectively and more closely with other faculties”, he said. “I’m all about joined up thinking. We’re not an island. By working together we can make things better for the whole University”.
With such a common sense approach and the drive to make things happen, it seems London Metropolitan Business School is in very safe hands indeed.
Find out more about studying at London Metropolitan Business School
Stephen writes his own blog which can be found here.
