How this South African Business School is Preparing Global Leaders

North-West University is globally recognised for its strong teaching and research; it is ranked seventh in Africa and among the top 1,000 universities worldwide. For students looking for rigorous postgraduate management training on the African continent, North-West Business School delivers.

NWU Business School traces its academic history to 1965, and today, students benefit from a rigorous, broad-ranging academic environment at North-West University. Among business school rankings, the school competes easily with other prestigious institutions in South Africa and across Africa; it has received 3 Palms of Excellence from Eduniversal, denoting an “excellent Business School[s] with reinforcing international influence”.

To find out how NWU Business School trains leaders to work both in Africa and on the global stage, we spoke to two graduates of the school.

Meet the Graduates of NWU Business School

Dr Kobus Du Plooy enrolled for an MBA (Master of Business Administration) at NWU Business School in 2017. He was already aware of the high-calibre academic environment at the university – he completed a PhD in Psychology at North-West University in 2013. He was a lecturer at the university when he began his MBA.

“Coming from a psychology and academic background, the programme challenged me well beyond my comfort zone, particularly in areas such as accounting and economics, which were previously outside my professional scope,” says Dr Du Plooy.

By contrast, Dr Tendai Douglas Svotwa had a background in management, having completed an MBA at the University of Zimbabwe and subsequently spent 12 years working in commercial banking. However, knew that a PhD in management could be a way to his dream career in academia.

“Based on the skills and competencies that I had gained as a Manager in the corporate sector, I realised that it was prudent for me to advance my knowledge in academia and contribute to humanity by imparting the knowledge I had gained from practice to students in academia,” Dr Svotwa explains. “Therefore, I was propelled to join academia so that eventually I would be a Professor of Management, which has always been my ambition.”

Both NWU graduates now hold senior positions at global universities, a feat they attribute to their degree from NWU Business School.

“My time at the NWU Business School played a pivotal role in helping me see the ‘bigger picture’ of organisations and, importantly, where I fit within that picture,” explains Dr Du Plooy.

“The NWU Business School prepared me to be an internationally competitive graduate who can adapt and thrive in any academic environment across the globe, positively contributing to society, research and scholarship,” adds Dr Svotwa.

Gaining Skills to Succeed in Leadership

Inspired by its location in Africa, NWU Business School places a strong emphasis on social responsibility and ethical leadership in its programmes. But beyond this mission, the MBA programme offers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a wide range of roles.

For Dr Du Plooy, who is now a Senior Lecturer and Psychology Team Leader at the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka in New Zealand, the broad curriculum was both challenging and rewarding.

“I felt that all the modules impacted me in unique ways,” he notes. “The ones I struggled with initially were largely those in which I had limited prior experience. However, as I spent more time engaging with these subjects, particularly accounting, economics, and financial management, I began to enjoy them more and more.”

“I am now far more confident with managing projects, budgets, and understanding global economic and financial trends, skills I continue to use regularly in my work.”

He cites the Technology Management course specifically for providing him with skills that he finds invaluable in his current work.

“Recently, I formed part of a group of psychologists who contributed to writing guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in psychological practice in New Zealand,” he explains. “I can confidently say that the Technology Management module gave me greater confidence in this space and helped equip me to contribute meaningfully to that work.”

Support for Graduate Students at NWU

A PhD is a highly hands-on postgraduate programme, and without strong support from your university’s mentors, professors, and staff, it can be a difficult undertaking. Dr Svotwa says that the supportive research environment at NWU Business School enabled him to graduate with the skills and experience to make a difference in his career. He is now a Senior Lecturer in Management at the University of Greenwich in the UK.

Dr Svotwa was initially drawn to the PhD programme at NWU for the academic reputation of its faculty. “A colleague of mine that I used to work with in Gaborone, Botswana, Dr Clever Gumbo, is the one who testified about being in the capable hands of Professor Yvonne du Plessis as his promoter,” he explains.

“Based on his affirmations, I was curious to join NWU and start on my PhD journey, since the level of student support and mentorship was exceptional.”

Not only did NWU offer Dr Svotwa opportunities to present his research at international conferences in Morocco and Tanzania during his PhD, but the school also supported him financially. “This greatly assisted me in attaining my professional goals of presenting at academic conferences, which sharpened my presentation and research skills,” says Dr Svotwa.

In addition to providing a renowned research environment, NWU Business School supports PhD students through dedicated research workshops to enhance their skills.

“In 2018, the NWU Business School organised a PhD Research Workshop in Mafikeng. The session was immensely beneficial and successful, where we learnt the research methodologies, methods and rigour that opened my horizon in terms of conducting successful and impactful research. This has greatly assisted me in supervising postgraduate students at various universities in Africa and Europe,” explains Dr Svotwa.

Reflecting on the Postgraduate Experience at NWU

Both Dr Du Plooy and Dr Svotwa say their time at NWU Business School was an enriching experience that enabled them to fulfil their career aspirations.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to grow not only professionally but personally to consider this course,” says Dr Du Plooy. “Before I enrolled, someone once described [the MBA] to me as a versatile degree that can be used in almost any context, much like a multitool, and that description has proven remarkably accurate.”

“All in all, the NWU Business School is a vibrant, credible, authentic business school which propagates high ethos of sound, unparalleled academic research that positively contributes to academia and society,” adds Dr Svotwa. “The research process is rigorously followed and justified, which makes the PhD journey fascinating.”