A degree that sparks personal growth
Learning how to run a business is only the tip of the iceberg of what Gibs offers students
At the Gordon Institute of Business Science (Gibs) we believe that the Master of Business Administration (MBA) should be as unique as the students who embark on this lifechanging journey.
This MBA is designed to suit the exact needs and passions of our students — understanding that each one of them is taking charge of shaping their future. Dynamic, challenging, interactive and inspiring, it is aimed at developing well-rounded and effective leaders and active citizens.
“Managing in today’s complex and ever-changing business environment demands of individuals to constantly invest in the improvement of their knowledge, skills and capabilities to advance their careers. The decision to pursue an MBA is one of the most life-changing steps that anyone can take for their personal and career growth,” says Professor Nicola Kleyn, dean of Gibs.
The MBA is not just about attaining knowledge. It is designed to broaden students’ worldview and develop their skills and business acumen to lead a division or organisation, or even start their own business.
“Interactions with our MBA students suggest that there are three main drivers behind them choosing to pursue an MBA: career acceleration, career migration and career switching,” says Kleyn.
“Students motivated by career acceleration are looking to fast-track their ascent up the corporate ladder. Career migrators know that they would like to shift their careers, but need an MBA to help them decide where they want to go, while career switchers have made a choice to use their MBAs to make a dramatic shift in their careers. They are often individuals who have decided to start their own business or professionals, such as engineers, who want to shift their focus to general management.”
She adds: “The Gibs MBA has been designed to accommodate these three streams and to provide students with an immediate competitive edge in the short-term application of relevant knowledge, while also focusing on enabling them to build longterm strategic value for their career.”
The MBA is tailored to give our students an understanding of how to run a business in the context of a dynamic global market. Our experienced lecturers ensure a full understanding of the complex international markets, and help equip students to take advantage of fresh challenges and opportunities to enhance their competitive performance.
Aside from technical knowledge and skills, students can also expect to gain increased levels of confidence, enhanced critical thinking and decision-making skills, higher levels of self-insight and productivity, and improved interpersonal skills.
It is said often, by our alumni, that their greatest learnings and experience come from interactions with their fellow students. We go to great lengths to ensure that the students we select for our MBA are diverse and offer something special to the full mix. This ensures our graduates leave with new relationships and unexpected personal growth.
There are a number of reasons Gibs can give students a competitive advantage:
We are an internationally accredited business school based in Johannesburg;
Gibs is close to business, bridging the world of academia and practice to ensure what students learn is relevant and can be practically applied in their context;
Our highly qualified local and international faculty works closely with business, offering students the most relevant curriculum and cutting-edge learning processes;
Gibs focuses on a general management track with an emphasis on dynamic markets and decision-making;
We have a mix of classroom lectures, case studies, business simulations, company visits, syndicate group projects as well as relevant exposure to the best practices of South African and global leadership;
We believe that who is i n the room with our students is as important as what is being taught. Candidates are carefully screened to ascertain what they can bring to the classroom in terms of experience, diversity and insight;
Students will build networks that will prove invaluable on a personal and professional level; and
Our face-to-face tuition model entails interaction between faculty, business leaders and students.
Perhaps one of Gibs’s most compelling attractions is its global relevance. A good business school recognises shifting dynamics within the industry and accommodates them in its curriculum.
“Research with our alumni and employers indicates that the value of a Gibs MBA extends far beyond the technical knowledge and skills that students gain about general management,” says Kleyn.