Thought leaders with impact

Wits Business School leads research in areas critical to the continent’s sustainability.

New leadership, a new strategy and international accreditation – Wits Business School (WBS) is consolidating its position as a leading African business school. Almost three years after Professor Maurice Radebe took the helm as Director and Head of WBS, the School is experiencing a turnaround, as evidenced by the growing number of corporate clients and students affiliated to the school.

For Radebe, a former energy executive at Sasol Oil, leading the turnaround at WBS was an opportunity for him to give back, not only to WBS, his alma mater, but to society: “When the opportunity arose, I realised this is very much in line with my purpose, which is to develop the next generation of leaders who are ethical and who have a passion to make a difference.”

Developing impactful leadership is at the heart of the School’s mission and the golden thread that runs through its programmes, whether academic or executive short courses. The MBA programme at WBS is centred around a “Leadership Quest”, an independent study component which challenges the students to reflect on their leadership style and beliefs and identify the gaps that need to be closed to become a great leader.

“Our country and continent are rich with young talent. As business schools, we need to tap into this talent and develop it. We need to invest in the next generation of leaders who can take Africa into an inclusive and sustainable future. This means leading with purpose, integrity and accountability, while at the same time developing an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset,” says Radebe.

To this end, WBS has established three centres of excellence which focus on developing the latest research in areas critical to Africa’s future. These include Energy Leadership, Digital Business and African Philanthropy and Resource Mobilisation. The school recently announced a new MBA in the field of Healthcare Leadership, launching in March 2024, which seeks to address the many challenges facing the healthcare sector, both locally and globally.

WBS has also announced the imminent launch of a new Centre for Entrepreneurship, the result of a collaboration with the private sector which seeks to sustain the economic revitalisation of South African cities and townships.

In the Executive Education division at WBS, impactful leadership means providing delegates with the tools to adapt to change and disruption through soft skills such as agility and resilience, along with hard skills such as digital business. Programmes are taught by both academics and industry experts.

“We get people from business to teach business and in this way, we embrace the concept of ‘pracademia’ to ensure real-world impact,” says Leoni Grobler, Director of Executive Education at WBS.

WBS has recently attained accreditation with the Association of African Business Schools (AABS) and reaccreditation with AMBA. The school is now shifting its focus to achieving American and European accreditation through AACSB and EQUIS.

“WBS is on an exciting journey to becoming globally recognised as an African thought leader, using our reputation for academic excellence as a foundation for delivering programmes that are strongly research-based and relevant to our context and our collective future as Africans,” says Radebe. ■

Africa (WWF-SA) and Peace Parks Foundation initiative. The college is located near the Orpen Gate on the edge of the Kruger National Park.

Universities

There are three types of public universities in South Africa: traditional universities, which are academic in focus and award degrees; universities of technology, which have a vocational emphasis and can award diplomas and certificates; and comprehensive universities which offer a combination of both types of qualification and can confer degrees and diplomas.

The addition of two universities in the provinces of Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape means that every South African province now has a university.

The official launch of the University of Mpumalanga was in October 2013, with the first cohort of 169 students registered in just three programmes in 2014. By 2024, the plan is to offer approximately 70 qualifications to over 8 000 students. That is the year in which the university’s first doctoral graduates will be capped.

Research relevant to the needs of the province can now be done at local level.

With Sol Plaatje University celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2023, the chances of indigenous young people being able to study on its campus have been boosted by large donations from two Anglo American subsidiaries.

Kumba Iron Ore and De Beers Group are among the biggest mining companies active in

Online Resources

Centres of Specialisation: www.dhet.gov.za

National Department of Science and Innovation: www.dst.gov.za

Sol Plaatje University: www.spu.ac.za

TVET colleges: www.tvetcolleges.co.za

University of Mpumalanga: www.ump.ac.za the Northern Cape. Their donations of R20-million and R5-million towards the university’s Lesedi La Afrika Fund will support scholarships and social impact projects. The fund has set a target of R100million over the next three years.

SPU has seen major growth in its enrolment figures and staff recruitment in recent years, with 60% of its academic staff having PhDs. As part of its sustainable growth, the institution is committed to community engagement and scholarly activity.

The first intake of students at the Kimberley campus of Sol Plaatje University in 2014 was 124. For the 2023 academic year a total of 28 454 applications (undergraduate and postgraduate) were received by SPU. This is an increase of just under 9 000 against the applications received for 2022.

Another milestone was reached in the university’s young history when the Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre (RVSC) celebrated its first birthday, on 9 September 2022. As the Northern Cape is water-scarce, the unit’s location is highly relevant. RVSC is a programme of the Department of Science and Innovation under the Global Change Research Plan for South Africa – funded through the National Research Foundation’s Global Change programme.

Most of South Africa’s universities have business schools attached to them, offering MBAs, management diplomas and a variety of short courses. ■