Henley Business School will focus on executive development

3 Oct 2012

As Henley Business School South Africa understands the importance of the developing property sector in Africa, they are introducing the first African centre for the real estate, built environment and planning industries.

Henley's main objective for the Henley Real Estate Centre Africa is to provide opportunities for international standards of education and intelligent industry collaboration in order to professionalise and integrate the industry. It will focus on executive development, knowledge transfer, research and academic programmes, drawing from 34 years of experience in the Henley School of Real Estate and Planning in the UK, acknowledged as one of the top three schools in the world. Practical at heart, it will build the skills for a commercially astute, environmentally aware and transformed industry.

Mutually beneficial partnerships

"We will work closely with government, business and communities in emerging economies to increase management and professional capacity and, in so doing, to accelerate rural and urban infrastructure development," says Prof. Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean of Henley. "In addition, we will form mutually beneficial partnerships with local and international experts and organisations to create clarity, systems and order in all aspects of thinking and practice in the sector, including finance, management, communication and skills development."

Heading up the Henley Real Estate Centre Africa is Dineo Molomo who brings with her a wealth of experience in the real estate and property management arena. She has more than three years' experience as executive manager of the Gauteng Institute for Architecture.

Advanced and postgraduate degrees

The centre's programmes and initiatives will incorporate government and commercial real estate use, as well as urban and rural land and property. It will offer a comprehensive range of advanced executive and postgraduate degree courses. The centre will also host frequent networking events and talks relating to the real estate, built environment and planning industries.

"We aim to be both global and local in orientation, drawing on the best of international knowledge, research and skills," says Molomo. "Students and executives can look forward to acquiring commercial awareness, an open mind and a drive to succeed. The lively research culture that is encouraged at Henley Business School will allow them to interact freely and become more innovative in their thinking."