UCT Graduate School of Business climbs global rankings

The UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) has been ranked 51 in the world for its customised programmes by the latest Financial Times ranking - widely regarded as a leading benchmark of quality and relevance for business schools worldwide.

For the second year in a row, the UCT GSB improved its ranking, climbing an impressive 16 places this year. It is one of just three African business schools to make it onto this year’s ranking.

“This is a tremendous win for the UCT GSB,” says Kumeshnee West, Director of Executive Education at the UCT GSB. “It is a vivid testament to the work we have put in to grow and enhance our offering to clients over the years.”

The UCT GSB was ranked top in Africa in terms of faculty diversity, meaning that its faculty is gender representative and draws on a rich mix of nationalities. It also scored in the top 50 worldwide in terms of value for money and future use (the likelihood that clients will use the school again). West explains that the ranking is based on a rigorous assessment of the customised process from the design and interaction with clients to how the programme is delivered, the facilities, teaching methods and materials that the school offers and the quantity and quality of programmes delivered with partner schools.

“In recent years we have worked hard to strengthen our offering and facilities - including opening a state-of-the-art training facility in Sandton, Johannesburg, to expand our footprint and bring us closer to our clients in that region and on the rest of the African continent,” says West.

To participate in the annual Financial Times ranking, schools must be internationally accredited by either Equis or AACSB and have earned revenues of $2 million during the preceding financial year.

“This is no lightweight ranking and bear in mind there are thousands of business schools in the world so 51st is an impressive feat,” says Rayner Canning, Business Development Director of the UCT GSB. “The UCT GSB prides itself on co-creating innovative and impactful programmes to deliver transformative learning that advances our clients’ business. This is an affirmation of our high touch, client-centric approach to customised education.”

Canning explains that the UCT GSB philosophy of Better Every Single Time means that the school invests significant time and energy in ensuring that it is responsive and agile – able to adapt and update materials and learning methodologies as client’s business needs shift and as the programmes unfold and from cohort to cohort. “This agility is highly valued by our clients and contributes to the building of a deep and lasting trust between us,” says Canning.

“A large part of the Financial Times’ data is drawn directly from client feedback,” adds West. “We owe a big thank-you to our clients who stepped up to endorse us and provide the necessary data to propel us up the ranking. This speaks to the strength and depth of our partnerships with our clients.”

This is the second major endorsement of Executive Education at the UCT GSB in recent weeks. In May, the school became the first business school in Africa to win a Gold Excellence In Practice Award from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) for a case study on its long-standing partnership with Standard Bank to deliver a Masterclass in Strategic Client Management Programme (MSCMP) for its corporate and investment banking (CIB) managers across Africa.

Lenie de Waal, Senior Learning Partner for CIB at Standard Bank, commented that the MSCMP was a testament to the “true partnership between all stakeholders”.

“To deliver high-impact and sustainable results, we believe that deep collaboration between the corporate and the learning provider is foundational,” says West.