RTU Riga Business School

Established in 1991 in cooperation with the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA, and the University of Ottawa, Canada, Riga Business School (RBS) is a management – education institution within Riga Technical University (RTU). RBS was the first higher education institution in the Baltics to offer MBA programs in English, granting its graduates an internationally recognized Masters of Business Administration degree. Since 2012, Riga Business School has been offering a Bachelor of Management in International Business program in collaboration with BI Norwegian Business School and University at Buffalo, USA.

The school has a solid reputation and more than 1015 MBA graduates, the majority of who occupy leading managerial positions both in Latvia and abroad. RBS is the only school in the Baltics offering North-American style MBA both in teaching standards and structure, containing intensive case studies, group work and active classroom involvement over at least two years of studies. Strong commitment to high quality, the principles of North American MBA programs and all courses presented in English make RBS distinctive in Latvia and beyond. Riga Business School is a member of PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education). The PRME are a call to encourage and facilitate the movement of business schools toward approaches that meet the new needs and the expectations of the business world and the demands of a new generation of students with regard to sustainability and good corporate citizenship.

Being at the cross-roads between East and West, Riga has always been a hub of business activity. For more than 21 years Riga Business School (RBS) has provided world class management training to current and future executives. Our strong commitment to high quality, the principles of North American MBA programs and all courses presented in English, makes RBS distinctive.

With Latvia being a new member of the European Union, management education is becoming more popular and reaching for new horizons. The RBS MBA programs are there to meet the challenge. With the help of RBS strategic partners, University at Buffalo and University of Ottawa, and integrating the needs of our corporate supporters, the programs are designed to prepare business leaders for the global world of tomorrow - the world, where successful leadership is a combination of knowledge of contemporary business processes and international experience.

An international faculty and academically strong MBA programs in the dynamic city of Riga bring you an experience that will prepare you for an impressive management career in the future. I look forward to welcoming you to Riga Business School - where business challenges are solved and inspirations originate.

RBS helps the School of Business and Management of Technology at Belarus State University to prepare for the first English MBA Program student admissions. This activity is carried out within the RBS and SMBT long-term project “Developing Capacity in the Management of International Cooperation in Belarus: Institutionalization of Western style Master of Business Administration program” under the agreement “Cooperation in preparing managers at master’s level” between the governments of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Latvia, partially financed by Eurasia Foundation, USAID and other organizations. The seventeenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 65 graduates receive their diplomas. The ninth RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 7 graduates receive their diplomas.

RBS helps the School of Business and Management of Technology at Belarus State University to establish an English Language Center. This activity is carried out within the RBS and SMBT long-term project “Developing Capacity in the Management of International Cooperation in Belarus: Institutionalization of Western style Master of Business Administration program” under the agreement “Cooperation in preparing managers at master’s level” between the governments of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Latvia, partially financed by Eurasia Foundation, USAID and other organizations.

The sixteenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 56 graduates receive their diplomas. The eighth RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 9 graduates receive their diplomas. The fifteenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 50 graduates receive their diplomas. The seventh RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 9 graduates receive their diplomas. Riga Business School was placed among the top 1000 business schools in the world by Ed universal, formed by leading French student orientation company SMBG. The fourteenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 40 graduates receive their diplomas. The sixth RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 9 graduates receive their diplomas.

RBS has become the first business school in Eastern Europe to sign agreement with Harward Business School Publishing on special access to its cases and other teaching materials. RBS was joined by the Education USA Information and Testing Center in Riga, thus concentrating all North-American style education advice and testing services in Latvia under one roof. The thirteenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 41 graduates receive their diplomas. The fifth RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 6 graduates receive their diplomas. RBS became an approved ETS Certified Test Administration Site. New cooperation agreement between University at Buffalo and Riga Technical University is signed by the President of University at Buffalo Dr. John Simpson and the Rector of Riga Technical University Dr. Ivars Knēts. This agreement extends the cooperation between institutions.

The twelfth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 64 graduates receive their diplomas. The fourth RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 17 graduates receive their diplomas. RBS receives funding from European Union and Latvian Government for the development of MBA IT program. The eleventh RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 80 graduates receive their diplomas. The third RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 13 graduates receive their diplomas. Riga Business School name in Latvian is changed from “Rīgas Biznesa institūts” to “Rīgas Biznesa skola”. The English version of the name stays the same but the short form in both languages becomes RBS. RBS keeps working on international accreditation. The tenth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 63 graduates receive their diplomas. The second RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 8 graduates receive their diplomas. RBS works on CEEMAN accreditation which brings significant change to the school's administrative and academic structure.

The ninth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 89 graduates receive their diplomas. On May 24th the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science Higher Education Quality Evaluation Center reviewed the issue of accrediting the Riga Business School (RBS) “Enterprises and Organizations Management” program. The RBS MBA program was unanimously accredited for 6 years and has become Latvia’s first professional Master’s program in management of enterprises and organizations.

The eighth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 51 graduates receive their diplomas. The first RBS EMBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 10 graduates receive their diplomas. RBS celebrated its 10th year anniversary. In honor of the celebration many different activities were organized. On June 13th at the Riga Congress Center a one – day symposium was held “Business Education and Global Competitiveness”. On June 15th a press conference was held in the school’s renewed rooms. The anniversary celebration ended with the seventh RBS MBA commencement ceremony held at the Blackhead Building followed by a ball at Birins Castle. The seventh RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 47 graduates receive their diplomas. A new modified MBA program was developed at RBS – Weekend MBA, which later became the Executive MBA. This program was made for managers with at least three – years work experience and takes a year and a half to complete.

The sixth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 37 graduates receive their diplomas. The fifth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 38 graduates receive their diplomas. More than 350 people wanted to take the preliminary examination to be able to study at the RBS English Language Center. During this year more than 300 students from Latvia, Russia, the United States, Sweden, Pakistan, and India were studying at RBS. For the first time, RBS organized an Open Door Day, which was attended by 60 people. They were given the opportunity to visit the MBA and English language courses and observe the RBS study process. RBS took part in the “School 98” exposition and has been doing so every year since. RBS students have also participated and are always a big help. The fourth RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 50 graduates receive their diplomas. The third RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 35 graduates receive their diplomas. The second RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 8 graduates receive their diplomas. The first RBS MBA program commencement ceremony takes place – 12 graduates receive their diplomas. The University of Ottawa (UO), Canada, joined the RBS project and a three – sided partnership was begun between RTU, State University of New York at Buffalo (UB), and the University of Ottawa (UO), Canada.

Partner universities helped RBS to found the English Language Center, set up a library, computer class, and organized many courses for RBS MBA students in Riga with instructors from North America. RBS in co–operation with the University of Ottawa (UO), Canada, began a student exchange program. The project was begun after the United States Agency for International Development created a fund financially backing it for several years. The Riga Technical University (RTU) in co – operation with the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) founded Riga Business School (RBS). The first 35 students enrolled in the first professional MBA – Master of Business Administration program in enterprises and organizations management – education in Latvia. The language of instruction was English, which was unusual for Latvian students. A year later in Seattle, Washington (U.S.A.) Dr. Gundar Kenins – King had an idea to develop a business program in Latvia based on North American standards.

Our mission is to educate managers and build leaders who create sustainable prosperity in the Baltic region. We do this by fostering an environment in which high potential individuals are challenged, inspired and engaged through interactive learning in the world’s top management practices.

In partnership with business, government, international partners and the local community, RBS is committed to the vision of making Latvia and Riga the economic intersection of the region through education and training of internationally competitive managers whose skills will promote, encourage and foster regional economic development.

RTU Riga Business School is the number one destination for management education in the Baltic’s. RBS strategic direction is recommended by the management team and approved by the RBS Advisory Board. The strategy largely emerges from the Mission and is formed during regular consultations with a range of stakeholders. The strategic direction of the school is reviewed every year by the Council and the Advisory Board, which also approves the targets for the upcoming year.