THE ALLIANCE

ALBA ACT, two leading non-profit educational institutions, are combining their extraordinary expertise and unique strengths to "raise the bar" in graduate-level education in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, and Southeast Europe.

The strategic alliance between ALBA and ACT builds not only on the strengths of the two schools but also on common vision and values the two schools share as non-profit institutions that seek to educate visionary leaders while maintaining an international perspective and reach. Both ALBA and ACT are committed to rigorous scholarship in both research and teaching, something confirmed by the institutions' accreditation by AMBA (in Europe) and NEASC (in the U.S.) respectively, both among the most demanding accrediting bodies. The alliance between the two schools allows each to leverage the strengths of the other and to deliver to individuals and organizations alike, as well as to the wider community, the benefits associated with a broader range of the highest quality graduate level degree and non-degree educational programs in business, as well as joint research programs, and conferences and events involving world renowned educators and business leaders.

As Mr. Richard Jackson, Anatolia College/ACT President stated while discussing the strategic context of the collaboration between the two institutions: Greece, and particularly Thessaloniki, is quickly becoming the business and academic locus of Southeast Europe. We believe that ALBA ACT will cover the pressing need for robust, academically sound, and at the same time pragmatic graduate education and corporate training programs for business professionals in key functional disciplines such as Marketing or Finance, executives who must understand and lead complex enterprises or organizations, and entrepreneurs who wish to start or run a business."

Innovative courses with an international flavor will be taught by distinguished, internationally acclaimed faculty in small classes that ensure attention to the learning process, in state-of-the-art facilities that support research and communication.

"When two already great educational institutions join forces, the result cannot be anything less than exceptional said the Dean of ALBA Graduate Business School, Professor Nikolaos Travlos. We firmly believe that our common effort will meet with positive response in Northern Greece and in neighboring Balkan markets. We are particularly pleased and excited with the prospects of this collaboration."

The collaboration between the two institutions will originally center on the design and delivery of three graduate degree programs: an MSc in Finance, an MSc in Business Management, and an Executive MBA. These programs will be available within 2008 and others will follow. Although the programs are rather distinct in their focus and content, their main aim is common: to ensure that students are armed with the tools and know-how that will make the difference in their career, their business, or their profession.

Beyond degree programs, ALBA ACT will also design and deliver custom training and development programs to corporate clients. These programs will be delivered at either campus as well as on the client's premises depending on the particular needs of the program. These programs leverage the uniquely qualified faculty of ALBA fafACT that brings not only academic expertise but also practical experience with some of the world's leading organizations to bear on the client organization's needs.

The world-class facilities of ACT's campus, in Pylea, Thessaloniki, will be the home of the internationally recognized ALBA ACT programs. ACT's Bissell Library and the ALBA Finance Center will provide participants with unique resources to study and acquaint themselves with the latest developments in international business markets. Both provide students and program alumni access not only to an extensive hardcopy collection of books and academic journals but also to an impressively wide range of local and global databases as well as access to real time financial information. Furthermore, they both hold or give students access to a large number of business periodicals and news media, both in physical and online form.

The ALBA ACT graduate programs offer a unique educational experience further enhanced by internationally distinguished faculty, and an opportunity to network with fellow classmates of diverse professional and cultural backgrounds. In addition, both institutions' Career & Alumni Relations offices will provide continuous support to graduates in their career development. This support is enriched by the strong relationships of both institutions with leading organizations across Southeast Europe.

THE PARTNERS

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF THESSALONIKI

The American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) is the university division of Anatolia, a private, not-for-profit educational institution founded in 1886. ACT is chartered by the State of Massachusetts in the United States and accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

ACT offers a comprehensive undergraduate curriculum leading to Bachelor (BA and BS) degrees in various disciplines including Business, Information Technology, International Relations and Diplomacy, as well as a graduate program in Business Administration (MBA) with concentrations in Banking and Finance, Entrepreneurship, Management and Marketing. The learning experience at ACT is enhanced by an international student body and highly qualified and experienced faculty.

ALBA GRADUATE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Based in Vouliagmeni, Athens, ALBA Graduate Business School is an established European educational organization that offers graduate studies in business administration. Founded in 1992, it is a non-state, not-for-profit, research-driven institution. The School maintains very close links with the industry, as it operates as an association of corporations, under the auspices of the Federation of Greek Industries, the Hellenic Management Association, and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The School's resident and visiting faculty is drawn from established Business Schools around the world and is composed of leading, widely-published academics and practitioners with extensive teaching, research and consulting experience. In March 2007 all MBA programs offered by ALBA Graduate Business School were accredited by The Association of MBAs (AMBA).