UCT Business School Calls On African Business Community To Take Its Rightful Place In The World

With the recent visit of US President Barack Obama highlighting Africa as a trade partner, it is essential for the African business community to be ready to take its place among business thought leaders globally.

So says Professor Walter Baets, Director of the UCT Graduate School of Business in South Africa, which has just become one of just 59 schools around the world to be 'triple-crown' accredited.

'It is schools such as the GSB that can make this new standard possible,' says Baets.

Baets was talking ahead of an open day for potential students which is due to take place in Accra this August.

The open day will be held at Fiesta Royale Accra on 8 August and will allow potential students to find out more about the school's various programmes.

The GSB is widely acclaimed for its African-centric focus and attracts students from all over the continent. The school prides itself on specialising in emerging markets, says GSB Director, Professor Walter Baets.

'The GSB wants to raise the profile of emerging market business schools as centres of excellence, whilst also focusing on the specific skills needed to take on the challenges of today's complex business world.'

'Triple-crown' accreditation means that the school has accreditation from the world's top three quality assessment bodies: the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA), and the European Foundation for Management Development, which awards the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) accreditation.

'This places business education in South Africa - and indeed Africa - in a whole different league, ' says Baets.

There are nearly 14,000 business schools all competing for the same accreditations, Baets notes.

'We have been placed firmly on the map on a global level,' says Baets. 'But our open days also give us the opportunity to let potential students get to know us locally.'

Baets believes in creating an Africa-appropriate centre of learning. 'We don't need Harvard in Africa,' he says. 'We need an African centre of learning for African business and thought leaders - with a focus on building Africa as a global contender in business.'

The GSB's MBA has also been ranked in the Financial Times' Top 100, and topped the QS Global 200 Business Schools Report, which rates schools from around the world based on MBA employers and recruiters' views. It is widely acclaimed for its combination of a focus on African issues and international scope.

'Research by the Association of MBAs demonstrates that the MBA continues to open doors for graduates in terms of career growth internationally,' says Baets. 'At the same time there is a growing demand for leaders who can manage sustainably for the benefit of a wider pool of stakeholders - not just shareholders - and to use the power of business and business thinking to tackle emerging market challenges like education and health.'

The open day will showcase the MBA, the Executive MBA, the Mcom Development Finance, the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, and the Associate in Management (AIM). All degrees are offered on a modular basis making it easier for students to work and study at the same time. The MBA is also offered full-time.

The AIM programme is particularly useful to aspiring leaders without previous tertiary education. It provides graduates with a certificate from the Faculty of Commerce at UCT that will enable them to study further.

'It is not just those who would like to achieve an education at Masters level who can benefit at the UCT GSB,' says marketing manager Cherry Burchell. 'We have courses aimed at all levels, from short courses with a very specific focus to heavier academic programmes with a corresponding qualification.'

The open day will take place between 18:30 and 21:00 at the Fiesta Royale Accra on 8 August. Click here to RSVP.