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Business Schools in Africa

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ralph

Joined: 07 Jul 2009
Posts: 839
Business Schools in Africa
Wed Jun 01, 2011 03:30 PM
There's some good commentary in a recent edition of the Financial Times about Africa needing a new model for business education put forth by Walter Baets, the director of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, South Africa.

Basically, he says that right now, Africa is experiencing "another wave of colonization," where western business schools are setting up shop on the continent. Baets is skeptical:

"Almost without exception, these incoming schools talk about bringing pre-existing European/US models to Africa as if this will be the answer to all of the continent’s problems. None, it seems, has paused to consider whether Africa really will benefit from what they are offering, or if they are missing an opportunity to create something better."


He goes on to note that CEIBS "the Harvard of Africa," Duke and Henley are all setting up campuses, based on the western business school model - neglecting the needs of local students and business.

I tend to agree with Baets' premise - that Africa does need something else. However, might not this sequence be the best situation for Africa right now? Seems to me it would be beneficial to have global brand names like Duke coming in to help pave the way for other models. Isn't that what's happening in the Gulf right now? Top schools have been coming in for the past decade, and now specializations in Islamic finance are starting to develop. I think this kind of local adaptation is key to developing new models.

Thoughts?
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Evan2007
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Posts: 209
Business Schools in Africa
Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:48 AM
Baets is short on specifics, so it sounds to me more like a rant that business schools are moving in UCT's turf without the requisite local knowledge.

Are there any interesting home-grown, alternative models to point to as an example? We aren't given any.

And to his remark that there are "are plenty of good ranked and accredited business schools in Africa." Actually, there are 6, if we're talking about EQUIS, Association of MBAs and AACSB - the ones that matter internationally. Is that "plenty" for Africa's billion + people?
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ralph

Joined: 07 Jul 2009
Posts: 839
Business Schools in Africa
Sun Jun 05, 2011 10:59 PM
I think you're right. The main problem is that there are not plenty of good schools there - and complaining about there not being a model isn't going to help anybody.

I'd think that having globally accredited schools (even if they were "western" schools), on the continent would be a good thing. They'll provide the initial structure for future business leaders - many of whom would probably have left and gone to Europe or Asia for their MBAs because that used to be the only option. And, as the programs develop, they'll be forced to adapt their curriculum to better suit the needs of local needs. That's what has been happening in other "developing regions" like South America and the Middle East - and I'd assume it would happen eventually in Africa.
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