By Kunal Chan Mehta, FSB’s Public Relations Manager and Editor of FSB Focus. 11th Dec 2025
FSB Croydon welcomed the Elected Mayor of Croydon, Jason Perry, who formally recognised FSB’s role in creating a “Croydon of Opportunity”. With the Mayor presenting an official Certificate of Contribution to FSB’s senior leadership team – and with FSB students articulating their aspirations and achievements – the visit became far more than a ceremonial engagement. It emerged as a compelling showcase of ambition, talent and a shared civic vision.
Speaking at the event, Mayor Perry said “It gives me great pleasure to recognise the significant contribution that Fairfield School of Business makes to Croydon.”
FSB Students at the Centre
The event’s spotlight fell not only on the institution but on the students themselves. Learners across FSB’s courses – from Business Management to Health and Social Care to Criminology – presented directly to the Mayor. They shared the transformative power of FSB’s courses, highlighting how local learning, flexible timetables, a supportive Foundation Year, and small personalised classes had enabled them to balance study with their work, family and life’s challenges.
“Mayor Perry’s visit was a remarkable and energising experience,” said Mohammed Zaidi, FSB’s CEO. “It highlighted not only the incredible talent and ambition of Croydon’s people, but also the potential and promise that lie within the community. At FSB, we are proud to show how education can serve as a bridge to opportunity, opening doors and transforming lives across Croydon.”
Giedrius Zilionis, FSB’s Vice Principal, added, “Our students are living proof that access and opportunity, when paired with high-quality education, can reshape lives – and, by extension, the borough of Croydon itself.”
Felly Yusifu, a Bath Spa University accredited BA (Hons) Business and Management student, said: “The Mayor really inspired us. Students and staff left feeling acknowledged, empowered and really motivated. This reminded us of the vital role we play in shaping Croydon’s future. Every course, every achievement and every learner contributes to a growing story of opportunity and impact across the borough.”
Civic Partnership in Action
The Mayor’s visit also reinforced FSB’s strategic role in Croydon’s broader regeneration. Under the 2022–2026 Business Plan, Croydon aims to create a borough where economic growth, youth opportunity, and social mobility are intertwined. Institutions like FSB, Mayor Perry emphasised, are “critical partners in that mission”.
“Every graduate, every skill gained here, is a brick in the foundation of a stronger and fairer Croydon,” added Dr Ben Abudawood, Academic Dean of FSB Croydon. “We want FSB not just to be aligned with the Mayor’s civic plan – but be central to it.”
While the commendation awarded to FSB is symbolic, it is also a marker of tangible contribution to Croydon. Students leaving FSB are entering the workforce, launching businesses and reinvesting their skills locally. FSB’s vocationally aligned courses directly feed the borough’s regeneration, bridging education with employability, enterprise and community development.
Creating a Croydon of Opportunity
For the Mayor, FSB embodies the practical, people-centred approach needed to create opportunity at scale. For FSB’s leadership, the visit validates its mission: to ensure that education is inclusive, flexible, and relevant, opening doors to learners who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
“Our work is inseparable from Croydon’s story,” said Mohammed Zaidi, FSB’s CEO. “Every student and every staff member who succeeds here contributes to the vitality, confidence and prosperity of the borough of Croydon.”
For any questions, please contact Kunal Chan Mehta, PR Manager and Editor, via kunal.mehta@fairfield.ac.
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