USB ranked top by employers in business school survey
PRESS OFFICE: University of Stellenbosch Business School
The University of Stellenbosch Business School has, for the third consecutive year, been rated the top school in the PMR.africa annual survey of accredited business schools offering MBA and MBL degrees in South Africa.
USB is celebrating its 50th year of providing business education this year. The school has been a pioneer by becoming the first business school of an African university to achieve the triple crown of international accreditations, namely Equis, AMBA and AACSB.
The respondents (employers) in the PMR.africa survey rated MBA graduates and students in the workplace across 19 attributes, with USB scoring 8.00 out of a possible 10.00. For this achievement the school will receive PMR.africa’s Diamond Arrow Award (highest rated).
USB’s marketing director, Marietjie Wepener, commented: “This ranking demonstrates USB’s excellent reputation as a foremost provider of business education in South Africa. It also shows how favourably South Africa’s business and public sector leaders judge USB.”
Wepener added: “The fact that USB has now been placed in the top position for three years in a row (2012, 2013 and 2014) and achieved an average 8 out of a possible 10 this year, shows the trust that employers have in the MBA students and graduates of this business school.”
According PMR.africa CEO, Johan Hattingh, human resource directors/managers and line managers at listed and large companies, national, provincial and local government departments/municipalities and state-owned enterprises participated in the survey. The ratings are based on the perceptions of the respondents.
Employees who are studying at or who have graduated from accredited business schools were ranked according to a list of criteria, including academic knowledge, application of knowledge in the workplace, communication skills/abilities, emotional intelligence, entrepreneurial skills/capacity/abilities, environmental awareness, ethical business conduct, financial management and human resource management.
The other attributes were implementation of corporate governance, information management, innovation, insight into sound sustainable development, international perspective, leadership skills/abilities, marketing management, operational management, quantitative abilities/skills and strategic management.
Hattingh said in a media statement: “The purpose of the awards is to celebrate excellence and to set a benchmark for others to aspire to.”
About University of Stellenbosch Business School:
The University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) was the first business school of African origin with the triple crown of international accreditations: AACSB from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools in Business, which represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees, EQUIS from the European Foundation for Management Development and AMBA from the Association of MBAs.
Since its inception in 1964, USB has become a renowned player in the international business school community. The student body, consisting of students from Africa, Asia and the United States, presently comprises over 700 MBA students, some 200 students of two further Master’s degrees, 130 of three postgraduate diplomas, 30 PhD students and several thousand other participants taking part in the wide range of shorter executive courses.
USB offers the development of sound critical thinking skills to “future-proof” careers, the real-world application of management and leadership competencies in any sector in South Africa, on the African continent as well as in the global community.