Two Lancaster University Management School masters programmes have recently been endorsed by Ernst &Young (EY) as part of a unique collaborative agreement designed to enhance students' professional development.

The MSc Strategy and MSc International Business and Strategy programmes were specifically selected because they are areas of key focus where EY are actively seeking to accelerate growth and further develop their organisation. As part of the agreement, EY will be working closely with staff and students in the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy to deliver guest lectures and offer internships, networking opportunities, dissertation support and a mentoring programme for top performers. These opportunities are designed to help students benefit from EY's deep industry and technical insights, experience what they learn, evolve their capabilities and help them launch successful professional careers.

Klaus Ort, Partner Operational Transaction Services at EY, said of the agreement: "We are excited to cooperate with LUMS. We embrace the intellectual spirit and creativity of your house as it fits perfectly into our culture. A collaboration will combine our strength and capabilities and create a perfect platform for the students to evolve their knowledge, and offer them valuable opportunities to start their professional career."

Duncan Angwin, Head of Department and the Professor Sir Roland Smith Chair in Strategic Management said “We are delighted to be collaborating with EY on our strategy degrees. EY brings to our programmes great breadth and depth of practical expertise which will greatly enrich our students’ experience of real world issues and challenges. EY’s endorsement of our strategy degrees underlines the importance we place at LUMS upon the real world practices of strategy. This collaboration substantially supports this approach and will be highly beneficial for strategy students’ education, practical experiences and will provide substantial opportunities for their future careers.”