Page 128 - KZN Top Busines Portfolio 2020/21

UKZN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP

Professor Ana Martins
www.gsbl.ukzn.ac.za

A BEACON OF CONTINUITY AND The Graduate School of Business and Leadership
at UKZN undertakes periodic reviews and seeks
EXCELLENCE international and national input into its programmes
Since the launch in 1974 of the Master of Business with a view to adding to its existing list of national,
Administration (MBA) at the former University of regional and international accreditations.
Durban-Westville – the first MBA to be offered at a ‘A literal journey’
historically disadvantaged university in South Africa – According to Chasomeris, the MBA is a “literal journey”,
the programme has typically attracted more applicants offering value beyond academic achievement to
than it can accommodate. The internationally- include peer learning, and the acquisition of ‘soft skills’.
recognised degree is noted for its quality, relevance
and appreciation of both the opportunities and the “The MBA is definitely more applied than traditional
limitations of business in addressing some of the degrees. Students are exposed to a broad and diverse
world’s most pressing problems. network of fellow practitioners with a wealth of
knowledge and experience from whom they learn; in
A flagship degree programme of the Graduate the process they learn skills such as team building and
School of Business and Leadership (GSB&L), the group work, and they build relationships that can be
MBA has prevailed in the wake of a series of historic lifelong,” he says.
developments: the end of apartheid, the merger of
the University of Durban-Westville with the University The journey is also character-building: “Being a part-
time programme, it is an intense experience for
of Natal as well as the phenomenal growth of MBA students who are forced to grapple with real issues
programmes in South Africa and around the world, to such as time management and achieving that elusive
name a few. More recently, it has endured the advent work-life balance,” he notes.
of the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully navigating
the global shift towards greater reliance on online and Industry practitioners
multimodal teaching and learning. To ensure that the programme is informed by contemp-
orary developments such as tax changes or the impact
A coveted tool used for building existing workplace of the COVID-19 lockdown on the South African
and leadership competencies, ongoing assessment economy, along with fiscal and monetary responses to
of the relevance and applicability of the MBA in a the economic recession, teaching by senior academic
changing national and global landscape has been staff – many of whom serve as consultants to both the
critical to its success over the years. government and private sector – is supplemented in
In keeping with this commitment to introspection, each module. Input and presentations are provided
a new MBA programme was launched in 2016 after from at least two guest speakers who are industry
a rigorous accreditation process. Placing greater leaders/decision-makers in their chosen field of
emphasis on quality, depth, and contact with staff and business or advisers to national policy formulation.
course facilitators, the two-year, part-time programme Such input is often directly incorporated into student
offers leadership as a specific module. There has also assignments, ensuring that learning is both relevant
been a significant reduction in the number of students and applied. The school also invites thought leaders
accepted into the programme to ensure greater and speakers on a regular basis to deliver presentations
emphasis on quality of tuition and value for money, on topical issues.
according to ‘Economics for Management’ lecturer Research
Professor Mihalis Chasomeris, who spearheaded the
development of the revised programme. UKZN is one of the country’s top research-led
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