the association of mbas was founded in 1967 as an mba alumni club by eight uk graduates from harvard business school, wharton, stanford and columbia, and two graduates from the first intake of london business school. the founders saw a lack of awareness in europe of the value of the mba degree, which at that time was primarily an american qualification. they decided to form a lobby and membership group to promote the benefits of postgraduate business education, under the name of business graduates association (bga). the organisation's development helped shape the growth of management education in europe and the uk and coincided with the setting up and growth of london business school and manchester business school in britain.