New ranking places the University of Cape Town’s MBA #7 in the world

“We’re proud to be an African business school setting the pace for programmes around the world,” notes Dr Catherine Duggan, the director (dean) of the UCT GSB. “Understanding impact and sustainability is, increasingly, a requirement for global business leaders, and it has always been an important part of doing business in Africa and a central part of who we are at the UCT GSB. We’re excited to help bring insights from Africa to an international audience of students and decision-makers.”

The UCT GSB improved its position by 20 places from last year, placing above global powerhouses such as the Haas School at the University of California at Berkeley (#19), IMD (#22) and INSEAD (#24) in the 2024 ranking, which is compiled by Corporate Knights magazine, an award-winning publication focused on impact, innovation, responsible investing and sustainable economies.

“In the past few years we’ve overhauled our MBA programme to make sure our students are leaving with cutting-edge insights on impact and sustainability, an understanding of leadership in diverse contexts and a strong sense of how to manage and solve challenging problems in complex and uncertain environments,” says Dr Caitlin Ferreira, programme director of the modular (part-time) MBA at the UCT GSB. “Students in our MBA programme embark on a journey that is designed to be applied and relevant and that will lay the foundation for a legacy of responsible leadership, personal impact, and positive societal change.”

Sustainability and impact are two of the topics students most want to see in an MBA, according to recent surveys released by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). In a year when applications to MBA programmes are sharply up around the world, a majority of prospective MBA students say they are looking for programmes that incorporate impact and sustainability into their curriculum—and more than one-third of prospective students say they would not consider an MBA that did not include these topics. 

“Our students increasingly view sustainability as central to their careers and purpose. This reflects an important and positive shift in perspective from a new generation of business leaders,” notes Wayne Moodaley, programme director for the full-time MBA at the UCT GSB. “Our graduates are empowered with an understanding of sustainability principles, along with leadership skills, problem-solving, strategic thinking and adaptability that sets them apart and positions them to drive meaningful change in their organisations and in broader society.”

Several recent rankings have placed the UCT GSB among the best in the world. The 2025 QS Global MBA rankings put the UCT GSB’s programme first in Africa and among the top 100 MBAs worldwide across a comprehensive set of metrics including employability, thought leadership, return on investment, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes.

The UCT GSB’s impact is evident throughout the Better World MBA rankings, which award an additional 10% to programmes based on the success they have had in placing their graduates in sustainable companies and organisations. Among these sustainable companies are those listed on the Clean 200, which ranks publicly listed companies leading clean economy solutions, and the Corporate Knights Global 100, which lists the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world. While most of the companies among the world’s 100 most sustainable are based in the United States, Europe and Asia, one African company made the 2024 honour roll: Investec Ltd (#52), a global bank rooted in South Africa and founded by Ian Kantor—himself an MBA graduate of the UCT GSB.