Which MBA? No sign of SA universities in top 20 league table

___STEADY_PAYWALL___.EDINBURGH — An MBA, a Master's in Business Administration, is highly sought-after but not a ticket to a successful career. Nevertheless, the MBA continues to attract students prepared to pay hefty fees to universities around the world. The top MBA programmes are predominantly in the US, according to The Economist. Brands like Harvard and Stanford are up there at the top end of the league table, but for the best after-study prospects Booth in Chicago is rated as the world's greatest MBA programme. South African MBA programmes, run by SA institutions and in conjunction with universities from elsewhere, don't feature at the top of the world rankings. The Economist notes that the best value for money is to be found at Warwick, in the UK, where the depreciating pound has made MBA studies relatively accessible compared to the opportunities in the US. – Jackie CameronBy Thulasizwe Sithole . The first MBA was taught at Harvard University in 1908 and, more than a century later, American institutions still dominate the business-school landscape, reports The Economist. This year, US business schools claim 16 of the top 20 places in The Economist's ranking of full-time MBA programmes, and 53 places in the top 100."The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business regains first place from neighbouring Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. It is the sixth time in seven years that Booth has come top. The rankings weight data according to what students tell us is important. The figures are a mixture of hard numbers and subjective marks given by students and alumni in four categories: opening new career opportunities (35%), personal development and educational experience (35%), better pay (20%) and networking potential (10%)," says the global financial magazine.Students rate Booth's course the best of the 100 programmes surveyed, highlighting:Its world-class facilities and faculty, which includes several Nobel laureates;Job opportunities, thanks to a highly rated careers service and an alumni network of 52,500 people, one of the largest in the world;Employment outcomes that are outstanding: 97% of students find a job within three months of graduation.Average graduate salaries of $129,400, a 67% rise on their pre-MBA pay cheques;That the relationship with alumni lasts beyond graduation, with the school running refresher courses for former students on subjects such as entrepreneurship."All this comes at a price. Fees at prestigious American schools in the top 20 now average $123,000, and have risen quickly in recent years. By contrast, European schools are cheaper because courses are generally shorter, so the return on investment is quicker."At IESE, at the University of Navarra, which has the top-ranked programme outside America, students pay $96,000 for its 19-month course. The Spanish school has moved up 11 places to sixth, mainly because of a big boost in the average salary for its graduates to $123,000 and a job-placement rate of 99%. Those looking for a bargain should head to Warwick Business School in Britain. A one-year course costs just $49,400, thanks in part to the depreciation of the pound," says The Economist.

Which MBA? No sign of SA universities in top 20 league table

Related Stories