From the start of the new millennium, the world has been in flux. Some of the significant events from 2000 include Expedition 1 to the International Space Station, Microsoft's release of the business-focused Windows 2000 operating system, Nokia’s launch of the 3310, which would go on to become its most iconic device - and the first cohort of MBA students at GIBS.
Over the decades, further major crises, achievements and developments have necessitated adjustments for industries committed to adaptability and longevity. Though GIBS had been recognised with global accreditation and a reputation as a leading business school in Africa, around the 15-year mark, the institution was nonetheless spurred to rethink and refresh the MBA programme. A fast-changing global business environment, consequential technological advancements, and turbulent economic growth highlighted the need for managers and leaders equipped to handle a dynamic work environment.
GIBS had been following the standard business school structure in which students would complete a specific course, such as corporate finance, and then move on to the next one, such as human resource strategy, marketing, or leadership. The siloed approach meant they could focus on one discipline at a time, incrementally growing their knowledge, skill, and confidence. But this didn’t reflect the demands of a workplace undergoing constant change.
Guided by educational trends and feedback from business recruiters, it became evident that the programme needed better integration. “Over a two-year process we looked at all our current subjects on the MBA programme,” recalls Dr. Hayley Pearson, the executive director for academic education at GIBS. “We reviewed the outcomes and what we wanted students to achieve through those courses. And then thought quite deeply about how to redesign to integrate these different outcomes.”
“We did a big overhaul to integrate how things actually happen in practice, and how they play out in the workplace,” says Pearson. “Because you obviously don't get a nice problem on your desk that is neatly packaged: this one is an operations problem, or that one is a marketing problem.”
Following this, the refreshed MBA was rolled out in stages with the initial full pilot run in 2018. Instead of a two-year process, it became a two-qualification offering. Run over the first year, the Postgraduate Diploma in General Management offered some of the traditional subjects of a classic MBA. The second year of the programme was restructured to offer more higher-thinking courses such as innovation and design, the environment of business, decision-making, and strategic implementation.
Another significant change was the introduction of team-based teaching for core courses. Instead of the old approach of one professor for one subject, faculty now works together to deliver a complementary and coherent narrative. This means those with particular expertise handle certain sessions, allowing students to gain both breadth and depth from subject matter experts. Some of the core courses have up to five faculty teaching across various modules.
New streams of study
During the refresh, it also became clear that some students were interested in specific focus areas. Consequently, the MBA in Entrepreneurship was piloted in 2019, with a full intake of 40 students enrolling in 2020. It has become a consistently compelling choice for existing and aspirant business owners.
Reflecting the value and growth of the knowledge economy in modern society, consulting was another new focus that came about following the restructure. Aimed at students wanting practical exposure, industry insights, and consulting-specific tools, the Strategy and Management Consulting focus was launched in 2020.
Danielle Meyerowitz, GIBS faculty and learning journey designer for the Consulting focus, says that it allows students to acquire practical skills and gain a network that is unique to the management consulting profession. It was designed to hone and refine “the critically important skills that allow management consultants the ability to deep-dive into a variety of businesses, contexts, and develop meaningful insight for their clients. All of which may be a lesser focus in the general management skill set of the general MBA.”
A valuable aspect incorporated into the design is the requirement for each student to start the process of developing a toolkit of their own consulting models and frameworks.
But Dr. Jefferson Yu-Jen Chen, who co-leads the GIBS MBA Consulting stream, says it wasn’t created solely for students to pursue a consulting career.
“We also try to influence their spirits and mindsets so that they can take their experience and competencies to create values for either their clients’ organisations or pursue the role of intrapreneurial consultants who create values for the organisations at which they are currently employed. It’s about nurturing the best possible kind of thinkers and doers.”
In 2024, GIBS enrolled the first class of an MBA programme solely focused on Climate Leadership. Over the past few years, several different initiatives and frameworks have been developed to guide individuals, organisations, and countries in fighting climate change.
Tanya dos Santos, a sustainability specialist and adviser who is also adjunct faculty at GIBS on the Climate Leadership MBA, says the accelerated and heightened importance of sustainability matters can make it difficult for companies to keep up with the new guidelines, rules, and practices. Business schools, however, can “play a central role in creating climate-aware, responsible business leaders who recognise the scale and urgency of the problem and inspire action to address it”.
Mitigating the climate crisis will require collective action. Consequently, notes Dos Santos, the climate leadership MBA isn’t just designed for those who intend to head up ESG departments in companies.
“Sustainability needs to be fully incorporated into business strategy if a company wants to remain a purposeful and relevant company of the future.”
Partnership with industry
Through a partnership between GIBS and the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS), the Manufacturing MBA was launched in 2019. “This specific MBA stream is intended to support the growth and development of manufacturing on the African continent by nurturing the development of advanced management capabilities,” says Justin Barnes, manufacturing ambassador at TWIMS and an associate professor at GIBS.
It’s designed for any senior leader who plays a role in the productive economy. Students enrolling in the degree come from a range of disciplines spanning operations, supply chain, finance, human resources, marketing, and other professional services. There is also a range of industries represented in the cohort such as food and beverage, clothing and textiles, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and agro-processing.
While minor annual adjustments were made in the past five years, Dr. Lisa Kinnear, academic director at TWIMS, says that a comprehensive review in 2024 led to a curriculum refresh. After gathering feedback from stakeholders from industry, alumni, and faculty, several innovations will be introduced from 2025 to ensure that the offering continues to evolve with the times.
“We have redesigned the way Operations Excellence is taught from PGDip through to MBA level, leading into the advanced Lean Operations and Supply Chain electives. This is to create a strong operations thread through the programme, with the electives providing choice for students who want to take their operations excellence to the next level.”
Another new element is an applied learning project for students who want to take the traditional research path. “While this project is commensurate with the mini-dissertation its focus is on students delivering a portfolio of evidence,” explains Kinnear. “The portfolio is aimed at developing manufacturing leaders who must continuously innovate in relation to industry changes and company strategic objectives.”
Timeline to Triple Crown accreditation
With less than 1% of the world's business schools holding Triple Crown status, GIBS has confirmation of its global prestige.
2007: Accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA)
The Association of MBAs (AMBA) is a global organisation headquartered in London, UK. Its MBA accreditation philosophy is centred on impact, employability and learning outcomes. To meet the necessary criteria, GIBS was able to successfully demonstrate the highest standards in areas such as teaching, learning and curriculum design, career development, and employability. Over the decades, GIBS has earned extensions, such as in 2012, when the association's International Academic Advisory Board (IAAB) recommended that the accreditation be extended unconditionally for a further five-year period. Recently, GIBS was re-accredited by AMBA, with Andrew Main Wilson, chief executive of AMBA and Business Graduates Association praising the school in the announcement. “I would like to congratulate everyone at GIBS who worked towards this re-accreditation. This excellent business school has a far-reaching impact on African business, as well as business schools around the world.”
2016: Accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools. Accreditation requires a process of rigorous internal review, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and peer review. During this process, which takes several years, the school must demonstrate excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty, and staff as active participants; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement. In a press release announcing the award, Robert D Reid, executive vice-president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International highlighted GIBS’ exemplary standards. “AACSB accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution that awards business degrees. The entire GIBS team - including the administration, faculty, directors, staff, and students - are to be commended for their roles in earning accreditation.”
2021: EQUIS accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
This accreditation is a holistic quality review of a business school. “It’s rigorous peer-review process signals the school’s overall quality, viability, and self-improvement commitment to students, employers, and academic partners worldwide,” notes EFMD. GIBS was awarded this accreditation after undergoing a rigorous assessment process of the school’s strategy and positioning, alumni satisfaction, faculty profiles and contextually relevant and applied research, among other factors. The school’s strong alumni network and focus on serving an evolving global market stood GIBS in good stead as did close links to the business world and sustained community engagement.