The UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) has improved its ranking in the prestigious annual Financial Times Executive Education Customised Rankings 2018, which ranks the Top 90 business schools in the world for customised programmes. The GSB was also ranked in the Top 50 for its international clients, faculty diversity and future use.
“The GSB is very pleased to be ranked by the Financial Times. It supports our commitment to delivering world-class executive education to our clients,” says Kumeshnee West, Director of Executive Education at the GSB.
The GSB scored 67 overall on the list, climbing three places from 70 last year. The top spots went to the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and Iese Business School of Spain.
West says the GSB prides itself on co-creating innovative, impactful programmes that deliver value to participants, organisations and clients. “The fact that we score highly for future use shows us that our clients value the work we do as they say they are likely to use the school again,” she says.
The GSB has positioned itself as a leader in business knowledge on the continent and attracts client and delegates from Africa as well as multinationals operating on the continent who want insight into the complexities and unique cultural, environmental and political conditions of doing business in an emerging market, adds West.
“Africa has many high growth opportunities but political instability, bureaucratic complexities and cultural differences offer significant challenges,” she says. The GSB draws on experts, prominent foreign faculty and researchers, to deliver customised programmes to organisations that meet their particular objectives and generate positive business outcomes. These range from short interventions to full academic diplomas and qualifications.
For GSB Business Development Director, Rayner Canning, the improved ranking is an affirmation of the good work the business school has been doing over the past year. “It is also fantastic to see our ‘future use’ score having improved as we’re seeing this on our client retention statistics. I think a big contributing factor to our good ranking has been the opening of an office in Sandton, Johannesburg. GSB-Johannesburg, places the GSB in the economic heart of the African continent.”
Canning says existing clients as well as new clients have responded very positively to the new office and it has helped to improve relationships as well as expand customised programmes.
The GSB is one of only three triple-crown accredited African business schools with accreditations from the AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business; AMBA - The Association of MBAs; and EQUIS - European Quality Improvement System.
Of over 13,000 business schools worldwide, only 89 have achieved triple accreditation to date. “The GSB has been setting the pace for business education in Africa for more than five decades,” says West.
She adds that what makes the GSB unique, is the school’s ability to consistently deliver transformative learning experience that equip tomorrow’s leaders and change makers. Through action learning and innovative teaching that often includes intense self-awareness and personal development, participants not only grow their own knowledge base, but develop as people – and more importantly, as ethically-guided business leaders who are able to make a positive and sustainable impact on business and society.
