“Executive Education is one of the most important and dynamic areas of higher learning,” says Jodie Martin, head of Executive Education at the UCT Graduate School of Business. “It’s how business leaders and decision makers can keep abreast of changes in their sectors, hone their skills, and shape the future of our economy.

“Being ranked in the Top 100 business schools in the world is a huge achievement in itself.”

In fact, this marks the 15^th consecutive year that the UCT GSB has been placed in the world’s top 100 business schools for executive education by the Financial Times – an unmatched feat for any business school in Africa. It is testament to our proximity to the business world and also underscores why the University of Cape Town is ranked the #1 university in Africa.

The FT Executive Education Rankings are arguably the most thorough and sought-after accolades for business schools worldwide, and are divided into two categories: Open Programmes, which are offered across the management and leadership cascade from junior mangners through to senior leaders, C-Suites and into the Boardroom levels from a range of industries; and Customised Programmes, which are designed in collaboration between business schools and corporate clients to offer bespoke organisational learning interventions.

This year the UCT GSB ranked as the number one purely South African business school in Africa for their Customised Executive Education programmes, and 61^st in the world. “We really have our clients and corporate partners to thank for this achievement,” says Martin. “It shows not just the value that our clients receive from our Executive Education programmes, but also the huge trust that they place in the GSB, our values, and our mission to improve business practice on the continent, and in the world.”

The UCT GSB’s Customised Executive Education programmes also placed 15^th in the world for growth (of the programme in terms of revenue and repeat business), 19^th for faculty diversity (according to nationality and gender), and 40^th for international participation.

According to Martin this is the result of a deliberate and concerted strategy to attract faculty that best represents relevant global demographics to the GSB, as well as its mission to build a bridge between Africa and the world.

“Working with international clients headquartered in the US, Europe and South East Asia has given us key insights and expertise in working with multinationals that have interests in Africa,” says Martin. “It’s a virtuous cycle: the more we work with any particular client, sector, or nationality, the better our offering becomes.. It’s a continuous evolution that makes Executive Education such a dynamic and exciting space to operate in.”

For its Open Executive Education programme, the UCT GSB ranked 67^th in the world overall, 40^th for international participation, and 27^th for partner schools – a testament to the strong relationships that the UCT GSB has with other top business schools all over the world, from the London School of Economics and HEC Paris to Mohammed Polytechnic IV. 

“We are, as always, thrilled to rank [in the FT Rankings],” says Rayner Canning, head of Business Development at the UCT GSB. “And we’d also like to congratulate the other South African business schools who join us in the Top 100 ranking for their executive education programmes. Together we continue to push for excellence, raising the bar in terms of the value that executives and corporates see in further education – and our ability to change the world, one mind at a time.”