• To ‘future-proof’ your career: The USB emphasises the development of a resilient thinking style as part of its learning philosophy. Critical thinking skills will equip you with the ability to think well and argue soundly. This, combined with analytical and strategic skills, will help you to recognise economic, social and other patterns, and to create a robust action plan to respond to the unexpected.
• To become a competent leader: The comprehensive Leadership module, which spans the entire MBA, covers personal leadership, group leadership, organisational leadership and societal leadership. The USB’s multi-method approach to leadership development makes leadership development and personal development go hand in hand.
• To be able to operate in any industry, anywhere in the world: The MBA has a local, African and global focus. The USB’s international and African relationships, the programme content (which includes South African and African case studies, and an International Module at overseas business school) and the makeup of the USB faculty and students will expose you to diversity in a multi-cultural world. Students also benefit from the USB’s partnership agreements with over 80 international business schools through exchange studies, joint research and international lecturers.
• To acquire an internationally accredited MBA: The USB is the only business school of an African-born university with all three international accreditations – AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. Various awards, rankings and memberships also confirm the USB’s standing in the international business school arena.
• To become a caring citizen: Engaging positively with societal issues on the MBA is made real through hands-on case studies and the programme’s strong focus on sustainability, social responsibility, ethics and corporate citizenship. The school itself is involved in various social initiatives, notably its subsidised Management Programme for Non-profit Organisations.
• To undertake quality research: The USB sets a demanding standard for the research report, required of all MBA students at EQUIS-accredited schools. The research report is expected to comprise original, critical and insightful research to add depth to your learning experience and contribute to business knowledge.

Accreditation, memberships and acknowledgements

• International and South African accreditation: AACSB (USA-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), EQUIS (Belgian-based European Foundation for Management Development), AMBA (UK-based Association of MBAs) and CHE (South African Council on Higher Education).
• EDAMBA: First member of European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration from outside Europe.
• Beyond Grey Pinstripes Top 100 Schools List: Ranked by Aspen Institute in New York, USA, among top schools preparing students for the environmental, social and ethical complexities of modern-day business.
• EDUNIVERSAL: A-rating and the Five Palms Award for international reputation from French-based ratings agency (one of only three schools in Africa to receive this).
• EFMD’s Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative: GRLI member, helping to reframe the purpose of management education.
• UN’s Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME): One of first 100 academic institutions from around the world to endorse this initiative which promotes corporate responsibility and sustainability in business education
• Global Business School Network: GBSN member, helping to promote management education as a critical component of international development strategies.
• Leading business school associations: Membership of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), Global Business School Network (GBSN), management development organisation CEEMAN, Association of African Business Schools (AABS) and the SA Business Schools Association (SABSA).

International cooperation
The USB has positioned itself as a knowledge partner of the world in Africa, and of Africa in the world. Therefore, at the USB, international exposure plays an important part in producing well-rounded managers and leaders who will be able to operate anywhere in the world. The USB uses various strategies to ensure first-hand experience of the global world:

• Partner schools: The USB has cooperation agreements with over 80 schools on all continents, leading to student exchanges, overseas study tours, participation in international student competitions and more.
• International Module at overseas business schools for USB MBA students: This is a compulsory part of the USB’s MBA. Students can choose from study modules at business schools in various parts of the world.
• International academics: Academics from leading business schools present certain MBA electives to provide students with additional international input.
• Exchange study options for USB students: Various exchange study options exist at the USB’s partner schools around the world.
• Full-time study for foreign students: Options include the full-time MBA, other master’s degrees and other full-term or shorter-term options. Interaction between local and foreign MBA students, especially in the full-time class, helps to broaden the outlook of all students. The USB even has foreign students flying in to do the modular MBA (blocks of classes spread over 3 years), finding it convenient and more cost-effective than schools with similar international accreditations.
• Exchange study options for foreign MBA students: Exchange studies offer foreign students the opportunity to earn credits towards their home university’s MBA by doing a part of their studies at another school – in this case the internationally accredited USB. Exchange students typically stay for 3 weeks to 6 months while they remain registered at their home university. The choice of subjects taken at the USB should fit in with the student's overall programme. No selection tests are necessary.
• International study programmes at the USB: The USB offers specially designed programmes with case studies for visiting groups of students, focusing on South African areas of expertise – such as diversity management, sustainability management, ICT and innovation for Africa, economics for emerging countries, using scenarios to develop alternative futures, leadership and organisational culture, and innovating business models (mostly applied to the wine industry).

Creating and sharing a ‘thoughtprint’
The USB creates thought leadership – we call it the USB Thoughtprint – through its research centres (for leadership studies, corporate governance, futures studies, dispute settlement and business at the base of the income pyramid), academic conferences, a research fellowship programme and the research undertaken by its faculty members and students. The USB shares its ‘thoughtprint’ on platforms such as its monthly Leader’s Angle talks, practitioner publications and academic journals.

Connections with the private and public sector
The USB’s close cooperation with industry ensures an academic offering aligned with the needs of the business world. Areas of alliance and collaboration include representation on the USB advisory board, funding of students by industry and the public sector, guest lectures by members of the corporate world, the involvement of alumni via the USB Alumni Association, and sponsorships.