Latest news with #HenleyBusinessSchoolAfrica
Daily Maverick
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Answering African questions: Why local research is the continent's next frontier
The rising demand for robust African research presents anyone considering a doctoral degree with an extraordinary opportunity to be part of something truly transformative. Imagine trying to solve a puzzle with pieces from a different box. That's often the case when research from other continents is simply parachuted into Africa to address local challenges, whether in health, education or business. And this happens far too often. While Africa's youthful population accounts for close to 20% of the global population, less than 1% of global research output is from this continent. 'This is an extraordinary statistic,' comments Jon Foster-Pedley, Dean of Henley Business School Africa and Associate Pro Dean at the University of Reading. 'But more than that, it's a profound challenge to those of us working in academia to build robust, relevant research capabilities with far-reaching implications for development, policy, and economic growth.' He adds that for those contemplating doctoral studies, this landscape presents an opportunity to be part of something truly transformative. Moving from dependency to partnership Why does local research matter so profoundly in an African context? For one thing, localised research ensures that solutions are genuinely contextual, relevant, and effective, says Professor Danie Petzer, Pro Dean of Research and Doctoral at Henley Business School Africa. 'Whether it's in public health, economic development, or business strategy, understanding the nuances of local realities, priorities, and perspectives can be transformational. When Africa generates its own data and ideas, interventions are far more likely to resonate with and directly benefit its diverse communities. 'This is about building a foundation of knowledge that genuinely serves the continent's unique needs,' he says. Take the work of Phano Ramoeketsi, for example. She is embarking on a PhD at Henley Business School, having won a scholarship for her work to uplift African women and girls. Herself a social entrepreneur who has grappled with the challenges of starting and running a business in Africa, her research will focus on dismantling the barriers that African women entrepreneurs face in the international business arena. DBA student Hugo Ndudzo meanwhile is exploring the development of organisational leadership capacity based on action research in manufacturing plants in South Africa and Zambia and Carol Maluleke is exploring reputation management in the context of non-profit organisations in Africa. 'A thriving African academic base directly elevates African perspectives like these,' comments Prof Petzer. 'When African research institutions foster leadership that can advocate for continental needs, challenge stereotypes, and inform international partners from a position of expertise and credibility, it fundamentally shifts the global narrative from one of dependency to one of partnership.' Advancing indigenous knowledge and promoting ownership Prof Petzer adds that another key benefit of localised research is that it can directly support the protection, documentation, and advancement of indigenous knowledge systems. 'Africa is a tapestry of rich cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems, vital for innovation and sustainable development. Investment in African academic growth, by acknowledging the worth of local epistemologies, Africa resists the marginalisation of its intellectual heritage and ensures its integration into modern development solutions, fostering a uniquely African approach to progress,' he says. Locally-led research ultimately promotes a profound sense of ownership. Solutions developed within Africa have significantly higher adoption rates, are more sustainable, and can adapt to emerging challenges quickly. 'African institutions need to support evidence-based policies that measurably improve lives – transforming academic advancements into tangible social and economic benefits that can make a difference,' says Prof Petzer. Andy Innes, musician, businessman and a DBA student at the University of Stellenbosch, is aiming to do just that. His work explores the nexus of culture and the psychological contract in postcolonial and polyculture societies, a complicated-sounding topic that boils down to helping people from different cultures understand each other and communicate better. 'I think our biggest problem in this country is social sustainability. And I think the key to unlocking that problem sits in the space of how people communicate and how they relate to one another,' he says. 'Right now, there is a chasm between people that hasn't really been examined in depth yet. We've looked at race a lot, but to my mind, race doesn't really tell you anything about anyone. It doesn't tell you anything about their culture or the myriad things that make them.' 'Society is not split so much across racial lines as across sub-cultural lines and people in separated or marginalised sub-cultures simply don't have access. They're pretty much excluded from everything that involves socio-economic advancement, which is, obviously, a problem. 'We've got to find ways of addressing this issue, and this starts by defining exactly what it is and how it works.' Sustainable economic growth starts with relevant knowledge creation Ultimately, a robust research and innovation ecosystem acts as a powerful engine for economic development. It fosters entrepreneurship, builds capacity for future industries, and strengthens the crucial ties between academia, business, and government. But growing that 1% of research contribution is no easy matter. Prof Petzer says that the journey to building this vital research capacity faces significant challenges, particularly in funding, infrastructure, and human capital. Institutions like Henley Business School Africa are actively working to address these gaps, fostering an environment where local research thrives. Henley's approach to encouraging local research is unique, especially as a private higher education institution. The model looks beyond the traditional academic and provides a flexible research support system to enable a wider net of consultants and practitioners in the production of thought leadership and research. Most recently, the school h as launched its DBA programme in Africa to ensure that more local students can sign up for this prestigious international degree while pursuing distinctly local research. 'The move is in response to the growing demand from our MBA graduates who are eager to continue studying with us. By leveraging technological advancement and local expertise, we are able to provide a pathway for doctoral studies through an internationally reputable business school right here in South Africa,' says Prof Petzer. 'We are really excited to be able to offer aspiring DBA candidates in business studies the opportunity to contribute to this vital African research landscape. It's about more than just earning a degree; it's about actively shaping the future of a continent through relevant, impactful knowledge creation.' DM
Daily Maverick
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
From security guard to manager: How one man's rise shows the power of education to liberate potential
Future success is linked to education. But with only four out of every 100 children who start school going on to get a degree within six years of matric, we urgently need new approaches to education and skills development in South Africa and Henley Business School Africa and its corporate partners are leading the way. Joseph Tsolo's life-altering transition from security guard to junior manager is a masterclass in perseverance and dreaming big. A beneficiary of a workplace skills development initiative, Tsolo's ebullient rise through the ranks also showcases exactly why South African corporates need to embrace more practical and effective ways to unleash the country's talent. 'Recognising my potential, my manager suggested that I enrich my practical experience by studying at a business school,' says Tsolo. 'I eagerly embarked on a journey of continuous learning, starting with a Higher Certificate in Management Practice (HCMP) and, a year later, enrolled on the diploma-level Advanced Certificate in Management Practice (ACMP). Graduating with my ACMP is a milestone that fills me with immense pride, as I was the first in my family to graduate with a diploma.' When one plus one adds up to thousands of capable managers Tsolo's is a story that would not have been possible without a very special partnership between his employer, Hollard Insurance, and Henley Business School Africa. Henley is a global business school, part of the University of Reading, with campuses in the UK, Europe – and Johannesburg – and it is the only international business school in South Africa that has developed a full ladder of accredited programmes (from NQF 5 up to NQF 8) that, while open to individual learners for 'open enrolment', can also be customised by clients like Hollard to make sure they are speaking directly to the needs of that organisation. 'This means that ambitious young South Africans like Tsolo, who have heaps of practical experience, natural talent, and enthusiasm but lack a formal qualification perhaps because they didn't have funds to study or had to get a job to support their families or didn't get a good enough matric to study further, have a second shot at getting the qualifications they need to get ahead,' says Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director of Henley Business School Africa. Unleashing learning on a massive scale without losing the personal touch In South Africa, where there is already a backlog of education and dearth of opportunities, workplace learning on a massive scale, without losing the personal touch holds the key to unleashing the country's talent, believes Foster-Pedley. ' Research by the University of Stellenbosch's Nic Spaul l suggests that, on average, out of 100 children who start grade 1, just six will get some kind of qualification within six years of matric, and just four will complete a formal degree. This is woefully inadequate when you consider that in advanced economies like the UK or Finland, the numbers of formal degrees are above 50 per 100 children who start school. 'It is only through one-on-one partnerships between the likes of Henley and committed corporate citizens that we can start to change the odds decisively. Each year, Henley graduates upwards of 2,000 capable managers and leaders who go into South African workplaces to make a difference and add value. Many of these are through our Executive Education programmes.' A journey that starts with self-discovery and ends with practical application 'Like it or not, future success is linked to further education, and we need a revolution in how we think about education and training to ensure that working South Africans can make headway in a complexifying world,' says Jon Foster-Pedley, 'While getting a degree or a diploma is by no means the only route to success in life, studying further is correlated with productivity and economic growth, better social outcomes, and human happiness. ' However, it's not just about getting more people to get degrees, he cautions. It is also about changing the way people learn. Foster-Pedley points out that we live in a world that is dramatically different from the one for which most institutions of higher learning are geared to prepare their students. 'The latest Future of Jobs report from the World Economic Forum estimates that by 2030 almost 40% of skill requirements will have changed,' he says. 'That changes the way people think about how to study and gain the skills they need to get ahead. We need to make sure that the skills we are gaining will remain useful and we need to find ways to learn continuously so our skills can be refreshed.' Lolly Gwabavu, the group head of Leadership Development at Nedbank and a Henley client, believes that a key part of this lies in lifelong learning and developing yourself as well as your skills. She says that the starting point for any leadership development journey lies in personal mastery. After all, leaders must first understand how to lead themselves before they lead others. Through her work with Henley, Gwabavu is developing emerging leaders identified through the bank's established talent management structures. 'One of the positives about Nedbank is that we believe everyone has the ability to be a leader. Leadership is not a position or a title, it's a disposition.' According to Linda Buckley, Pro-Dean of Teaching, Learning and Student Experience at Henley Business School Africa, another vital element to improving educational outcomes in South Africa is to ensure that learning in the classroom is closely aligned with practice. All Henley students are given ample opportunity to apply what they are learning as they are learning it, with many clients coming up with highly innovative solutions to achieve this. For example, one client, Bryte Insurance, through the Bryte Academy, recently created a shadow board (NextCo) that allows young talent within the business to make a contribution at the highest level. Tebogo Baloyi, Head of HR at Bryte Insurance, explains: 'We want diverse thinking in how we approach projects and strategic initiatives, and we want to hear the voice of our younger generation. So, NextCo is the practical experience that allows talented individuals to shine even more and get more exposure to projects. The shadow ExCo also sits like an ExCo; they are mapped to a portfolio and will be given real projects to execute as a team.' Employers recognise and value what Henley can do for them Henley's work in the skills development space is recognised globally. It's listed among the Top 30 business schools in the world in the Financial Times 2024 ranking of Executive Education programmes, scoring top in the world for Faculty Diversity in the same ranking. This makes Henley the highest ranked international business school with a campus in Africa, offering in-house corporate education to clients – an important third-party endorsement. Specific Henley programmes have also won awards. In 2022, Henley and Standard Bank won a talent development award from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) for a customised leadership development programme called 'Acceleration', part of the bank's transformation strategy to develop African leaders. 'The impact of what we discovered was greater than we could ever have imagined,' says Standard Bank executive Mei-lene Els. Of 40 people on the 'Acceleration' programme, 13 were promoted into senior leadership roles. Of these, 40% were black women. 'Employers recognise and value what Henley graduates can do for them,' says Buckley. 'Education is ultimately about change, and South Africa's employers see first-hand how Henley's graduates are personally transformed and go on to transform their workplaces, creating new value. 'We make sure we stay up to date with emerging trends by continuously finding ways to adapt our programmes to the current business environment. This includes making use of virtual and augmented reality, experiential immersions and global perspectives. We aim to create new and unique simulations for current and future-focused learning that capture the rapid acceleration of today's technological world.' DM
