Ashridge Master's in Executive Coaching is validated with commendations

Training Journal, Jan, 2007

Middlesex University's validation of the Ashridge Master's in Executive Coaching (AMEC) this month has given the green light for the programme's launch next spring.

According to Ashridge, the validation has enhanced the school's position as an internationally recognised centre for excellence in executive coaching.

The validating panel granted it an award for best practice and three commendations for bridging theory and practice, originality of approach as well as leading-edge and locally generated thought leadership. The two-year, part-time, modular AMEC programme is designed for practising coaches and consultants who want to demonstrate that their executive coaching is based on a sound foundation of business experience, therapeutic and behavioural knowledge, and quantitative research.

Participants who successfully complete it become accredited Ashridge coaches.

In addition to attending regular workshops at Ashridge and benefiting from coaching supervision throughout the programme, in the first year, participants will keep a reflective journal of their coaching work with clients. Over the course of the second year, they will complete a reflective inquiry into their coaching work and submit an MSc thesis based on real case studies.

Programme director Dr Erik de Haan (pictured), director of the Ashridge Centre for Coaching, and business director of Ashridge Consulting, said: 'I am delighted we can go forward with this programme, which is underpinned by two distinct approaches. We see organisations as social processes in which we as coaches and consultants participate.

We consider that the relationship between coach and client is at the heart of effective coaching and is therefore the central vehicle for learning and change. This is a mutual and co-creating relationship rather than a remedial contract to solve a problem.'

The Master's in Executive Coaching is an addition to Ashridge Consulting's suite of programmes, aimed at developing coaches and organisation consultants. Coaches that have completed Coaching for Organisation Consultants, followed by accreditation as an Ashridge coach, are eligible to join the second year of the master's programme.