Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

We want to answer all of your questions and help you gain the confidence that you are making an informed, correct decision. If your question does not appear below, please use the form provided to ask it and we’ll get back to you as soon as we are able.
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Business Education in South Africa

Q: Why is business education so important in Africa today?

A: It is not just business education of course – it is education and learning in general, at school, university, government, work, in the family and in society. But a good business creates all the services, goods, products and experiences that create a good life for us and allows us to live well and move out of poverty. Business education is far more than focusing on the institutions of business. It is about doing good work, solving big problems, being accountable, honest, thinking intelligently and working together well, keeping us safe, warm, fed, healthy, avoiding damaging conflict and having a quality of life that we would like our children to grow into. If we develop a generation of people who are skilled, able to take their place in international companies and contribute to them, who are technologically enabled and whose minds are educated towards the extraordinary potential that they often have, then we will build the organisations, new ventures, better service provision that will build South Africa – and Africa and beyond. It is for this reason that business education is so important in South Africa. It is the bedrock, catalyst and most powerful energiser of our future quality of life. And the organisations and institutions that should provide this inspired education are business schools. Perhaps not the business schools of today but the fast-moving, evolving creative business schools of tomorrow.

Q: Where are the big gaps in business education in SA

A: We would argue that the biggest gap in business education is in creating education that produces capable, disciplined, delivery-focused managers who truly understand the craft of management and their obligation to get things done and to deliver. Producing thousands of these types of people will transform South Africa, and will immediately minimise the opportunities for, and tolerance for, corruption, malpractice and waste of our scarce financial and natural resources. Producing managers cannot only be done in the classroom, if at all. Management is a skill, and like any skill, needs to be repeated, developed, honed and perfected in the heat of practice and repetition, supported by good review and coaching. This means transformation in the methods and approaches of what we call education today. We need inventive, practical, highly demanding, action and results-orientated learning experiences which also give us empathy, insight and confidence.

 

Q: Do current economic/political trends (incl globalisation vs nationalism) concern you?

A: What we are discovering more and more is that we cannot leave people behind, whether in business, government or family life, without facing – sooner or later – devastating consequences. If I’ve learned one thing in half a life spent in the business school environment, is that on balance, optimism is justified. I have seen many examples, improbable stories, of people lifting themselves against gut-churning odds to become educated, activist, positive, effective leaders and examples, not to understand that the human instinct is to grow and improve, more than it is to destroy and take. Consistent attention to education by individuals, corporations, government and society will tap into raw intelligence, creativity and drive people in Africa to build better and healthier businesses and so transform our societies.

 

Q: How many credits is the Henley MBA?

A: Great question! (Please ask this to every institution that offers a Master’s level qualification)

Short Answer: Henley’s MBA is made up of our 200 credits, all at NQF 9.

Longer Answer: Master’s level qualifications require 180 credits to be recognised by the various accreditation bodies.

In South Africa, MBA’s are allowed to be made of up 120 credits at NQF 9 and another 60 credits at NQF 8. This allowance has provided the opportunity for some institutions to design offerings that create the impression that their MBAs run over a shorter period than others. These are also marketed in a specific way.

Our recommendation is to consider carefully the make-up of the Master’s programme you are interested in, particularly the level on which the credits are divided. A Master’s programme is an NQF 9 offering.

Q: How long is the MBA?

A: Henley Africa understands that any studies, but more especially the MBA, can put strain on relationships and family life – our answer to this is the #FamilyFriendlyMBA. We also understand that “life happens” and things are always as straight forward as one might hope – and so our MBA is also flexible. This means that the time taken to complete your MBA can vary.
 
Our MBA is setup as follows:

30 month part-time, blended learning approach with optional workshops, peer-group learning activities and self-study, on and offline. There are three stages of ten months each.

Q: What accreditation does the Henley MBA have?

A:  The Henley MBA is the only international, triple-accredited MBA offered in South Africa. The Henley MBA has the local CHE, AMBA(UK), EQUIS(Europe) and AACSB(American) accreditation.

The only international quadruple-accredited business school in Africa AABS AACSB-1 Association of MBAs-1 EQUIS-1