MBA Experience with ICBS Kandy

Imperial College of Business Studies (ICBS)

The beginning ( CIMA Learning Partner Institute )

Since its inception, Imperial College of Business Studies (ICBS ) has established itself as a leading Business School in Sri Lanka. ICBS’ history dates back to 1985 when it was known as CBS, which was a pioneer in CIMA Learning / training / education in Sri Lanka, giving them an edge of being one of the oldest business schools in Sri Lanka.

Growth and Accolades

Currently ICBS, is one of the fastest growing education providers, having coached over 50,000 students to date. ICBS also has the exclusive privilege to train the Armed forces of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Navy & Sri Lanka Army) for CIMA exams in Sri Lanka. ICBS is the only institute in Sri Lanka, selected by CIMA Sri Lanka division on multiple occasion conduct “Train The Trainer” (TTT) programme for lectures from various countries.

ICBS was accredited by CIMA (UK) as a ‘Learning Partner Institute’ in 2004, making it one of the first institutes in Sri Lanka to receive this prestigious Status, assuring the highest quality of delivery. This distinguished accreditation is awarded only to institutes which offer evidence of continuous improvements, high pass rates at examinations and stringent overall quality standards certified by an independent` auditor from UK.
With a branch in Kandy that was also accredited as a Learning Partner Institute in 2013, ICBS became the only institute in South East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa to have 2 Premium Learning Partner Institutes. ICBS is also a Gold Approved Learning Partner (ALP) of ACCA

ICBS has also extended its operations internationally by partnering with colleges in India, providing lecturer and student support. ICBS is also the only Business School in Sri Lanka with global exposure having partnerships in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

Partnership with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS)

ICBS along with its partner institution International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC) began a collaboration with UWS in 2013. UWS a top ranked University in Scotland (UK), renown for its innovative programmes and being at the forefront of technological innovation in education, developed a degree in association with ACCA, CIMA and ICBS. The 3-year Bachelor’s Degree - BA (Hons) International Business & Finance was launched in March 2016 and is testament to ICBS’ innovative and visionary approach.

The 1 st Bachelor’s Degree (Undergraduate Degree )

This BA (Hons) International Business & Finance is covers a wide scope, focusing on Business, Management, Accounting, Finance and research. The degree is a Global first, where for the 1 st time ever, 10 globally recognised professional qualifications provide more than 100 exemptions to students following the degree. Among the 10 professional qualifications are CIMA and ACCA who have come forward to offer 20 exemptions for 20 exams upon the completion of just the first 2 years of the degree programme.

The degree provides students with unique opportunities to;

1.Complete both an academic degree with research and a professional qualification within just 3 years
2.Complete professional qualifications from UK, Canada and Australia while in Sri Lanka
3.Transfer credits to Universities in the UK, Canada and Australia (upon partial completion of the degree)
4.Pursue further studies in Universities across the world

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

An extension of the relationship between UWS and ICBS, resulted in the launch of the MBA International Business and MBA International Business & Finance programmes in 2017. The postgraduate qualifications were offered in 1 st Digital learning facility in Sri Lanka. The MBA offered by ICBS changed postgraduate education in Sri Lanka, deviating from the traditional programmes that focused on route learning to one which focused on student participation and building key student attributes that enhanced the learning experience.

Additional Degree programme

In 2018 ICBS launched a further degree programme in partnership with UWS, the 12 months Bachelor’s Degree BA Global Business. The programme focused on bridging the gap that existed in the market for academic qualifications. Students with a Higher National Diploma (HND), partly completed professional qualification or sufficient work experience were provided an opportunity to complete a globally recognized academic qualification in 12 months.

Current Success

At end 2019 over 500 undergraduate students and approximately 200 postgraduate students were actively following degree programmes in both Colombo and Kandy. ICBS had also produced over 350 graduates with a short period of time with over 95% of graduates in employment or in further education. The strong corporate partnerships that ICBS has established ensures that graduates of ICBS are assured of employment opportunities.

COVID19 updates

ICBS was among the 1 st educational institutes in Sri Lanka, to commence online classes for its students, with online classes commencing in end March a mere 2 weeks into the pandemic impacting Sri Lanka. The use of recorded lectures as well as live sessions for every module ensures that students not just learn the concepts, but continue to be provided the opportunity to interact with colleagues and lecturers.

The Learning Management System (LMS) at ICBS has further assisted students in interacting with peers and lecturers and facilitating group work and discussions. In line with the current trends all group presentations are scheduled to be conducted via zoom preparing students for the post COVID world.

The online revolution

ICBS has launched a basket of different online products, which help students continue their learning from the comfort of their homes. The products include;

1.Short programmes for school students
2.Multiple online ACCA products
3.CIMA online
4.FLP (CIMA special programme)

Lifelong Learning

This programme has been developed in order to provide students after their Ordinary Level (O/L) studies a basic understanding on the current technological developments, basics of the legal framework and contemporary issues. The programme provides a foundation to all students regardless of their discipline of study and covers topics that they will continue to build upon during their further studies forming the basis of lifelong learning. The programme could be completed within 2 months and is an extremely useful programme preparing students for their further studies beyond their O/L studies

CIMA online

As one of the pioneers of CIMA education in Sri Lanka, ICBS has launched a complete online solution for CIMA students with a combination of recorded and live lectures ensuring students complete the certificate level (CertBA) within just three and a half months (3 ½ months). The uniquely designed programme ensures that students are provided the highest chance of success in a flexible learning environment at an affordable cost.

The students on the online programme will have access to;

1.Experienced and qualified lecturers who have a proven track record not just in Sri Lanka, but in the region.
2.Weekly live sessions with continuous interaction with the lecturer
3.Learning at the students’ convenience with access to recorded lectures 24/7
4.A pass guarantee, ensuring student do not spend any more than the course fee.
5.Practice exams on platforms identical to the final examinations

Core Values

ICBS strongly believes in offering an all-round student experience, when a student finishes their journey at ICBS, the student will not only be qualified as a pure academic or professional, but also an individual who knows how to strike a balance between their priorities and altogether a better human being. This is where the Student Council (SC) of ICBS plays a vital role. The SC encourages, recreational, social, intellectual and cultural activities to offer students the much sought-after balance between academic and extra-curricular activities. Our graduates are work–ready, resilient and able to contribute locally and globally.

“The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing a thing exactly right.”