07 NOV 2024
Shaping a legacy at Stellenbosch Business School
Prof Piet Naudé, director of Stellenbosch Business School (formerly USB) between September 2014 and 2020, left an indelible mark on the institution during his tenure. As the school celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024, Prof Naudé reflects on the milestones. He notes that these were the result of teamwork and excellent support from the Faculty and the University.
During his term, Stellenbosch Business School solidified its status as a triple-crown accredited institution, a remarkable feat for an African business school.
"We were successful in reaccreditation for all three international bodies during my term," Naudé said. "It is tough for an African school to do this, but we built on the strong foundation laid before us, and I’m proud of what we achieved.
"The accreditation process is gruelling, but it is a testament to the dedication and resilience of the team at Stellenbosch Business School. It's not just about meeting criteria; it's about maintaining global standards in education while remaining relevant to our African context."
A drive for gender balance and inclusivity
One of the key objectives during his leadership was to increase the gender balance within the faculty. "We made significant strides towards achieving a 50/50 gender balance in our academic staff as women are usually already well-presented in administrative roles. We wanted to break the so-called glass ceiling in academia. The first female was promoted to full professor in more than 50 years and by the end of my term there were three full women professors.”
The commitment to gender equity extended beyond faculty appointments and promotions. Under his leadership, Stellenbosch Business School established a Research Chair focused on Women at work, supported by a generous donation from Simon Susman, the long-standing chair of the school’s Advisory Board.
"This position allowed us to put science behind the often emotional debates about women in business," Prof Naudé explains. "We were able to gather data on critical issues like women’s remuneration and board representation on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). It was a game changer."Expanding the academic portfolio and increasing research
Prof Naudé also spearheaded the diversification of the school’s programme offerings. "We integrated the Financial Planning diploma into our portfolio and continued to develop additional specialisations across a variety of programmes. This added to the unique mix of programmes, from Development Finance, and Futures Studies to Management Coaching and the traditional MBA which is up to today a differentiating factor.”
The research portfolio and research funding were reconceptualised, which led to a doubling of research outputs, putting the business school at that stage on par with research-intensive units in the university.
“To forge a public tie with business, we appointed Johann Rupert, Sim Tshabalala and Simon Susman as extraordinary professors. Plus, used many of our illustrious business alumni to engage with our students. We are, after all, a school for business practice.”
Preparing for the future of work
Before the world was thrust into remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Prof Naudé had already started preparing the school for the future of work. "We made our first full-time appointments of staff not based in Cape Town, but in Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal. These were women who had family commitments that made relocation difficult, but they were the best in their field. At the time, it was met with resistance, but when COVID hit, it became the norm."
The pandemic, however, brought immense challenges. "COVID had a devastating impact on us. The retrenchments we had to implement in our executive education and hospitality business were the hardest part of my entire career," Prof Naudé laments.
"We faced a sharp and immediate drop in income, and we were forced to make difficult decisions." He recalls how the global lockdowns affected international student groups, which had been a significant source of income and diversity for the school. "At one point, we were hosting 26 international student groups per year, but COVID temporarily put a halt to that."
Despite these challenges, Prof Naudé is proud of how quickly the school adapted. "We transformed our teaching methods in just a few weeks, shifting everything online. It was an extraordinary effort from the staff and faculty. We retrained lecturers to use platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams in innovative ways, creating interactive online learning environments, including for executive education and virtual student exchanges."
A legacy of internationalisation and sustainability
Stellenbosch Business School expanded its global footprint. "We became truly international, with visiting faculty from 14 countries at one point. We had students from 36 different nations on campus." This internationalisation, coupled with the school's commitment to sustainability and responsible leadership, helped to shape its identity in the global academic landscape.
As the business demands increased to do reporting on sustainability, the school changed its governance to create a “social impact” portfolio on par with research and teaching and included social impact reporting on an annual basis. With the upgrade of the Bellville Park campus, the University took the innovative decision to fund and install a cooling system using water from the “campus lake with a reduced electricity consumption. “It was an example of how we practice what we preach in terms of operational sustainability."
Looking ahead
As the school marks its 60th anniversary, Prof Naude continues to render his thoughts towards a truly futuristic and innovative institution. "The challenges of the next 60 years will revolve around digital transformation, the climate crisis, and economic inequality. Our role is to educate the people who will lead these changes. We need to shift more towards entrepreneurial thinking and job creation via a philosophy of lifelong learning. The days of getting a degree and then working in the same field with the same knowledge for 40 years are over."
Naudé also emphasises the importance of wellness in the modern workplace. "People are working harder and are always connected. The world is tough right now, and organisations like ours must encourage a culture of care and support for staff and students alike."
“At 60 years young, our school has shown its true colours. One looks back with gratitude – it was the most exciting part of my career. And we can look forward with positive anticipation. I am sure the Stellenbosch Business School – in the context of a leading university – will rise to the challenges and increase its reputation as one of the top business schools in Africa and the world.”
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