History
A brief history of the Rhodes Business School
2000: The Rhodes Investec Business School (RIBS) was established and Professor Gavin Staude, formerly Head of Department of Management at Rhodes University, was appointed as first Director.
2001: The first MBA students were enrolled and registered.
2004: The first cohort of students graduated.
2004: Mr. Hugh Herman, Chairman of Investec Bank, which provided the seed money to establish RIBS, was awarded an Honorary PhD by Rhodes University. This award was motivated by RIBS.
The MBA programme was accredited by the South African Council on Higher Education (CHE).
2005: RIBS took the visionary step of introducing a course on Environmental Management, thereby commencing its journey of commitment to responsible business.
2007: RIBS was ranked 80th in the world in the "Beyond Grey Pinstripes" survey, which aimed to measure how well an MBA programme equips students to guide a company through the complex relationship of business and society, where issues relating to the environment or the well-being of a community can impact a company’s performance and reputation.
2008: RIBS repositioned itself in terms of “Leadership for Sustainability” and undertook to focus on achieving a balance amongst financial accountability, social responsibility and environmental responsiveness. This philosophy and content were to be integrated into every module.
2010: Associate Professor Owen Skae, appointed as Director, after the retirement of Professor Gavin Staude. To confirm its commitment to the philosophy of “Leadership for Sustainability”, RIBS signed up for the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). The School was also an organizational stakeholder of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and in November 2010, became a partner of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI).
RIBS ranked second in the excellence category by Eduniversal Business Schools of South African Business Schools and 6th overall after the so-called ‘Big Five’ (UCT’s GSB, Gordon Institute of Business Science, Stellenbosch, UNISA and Wits).
The last cohort intake of two and a half year coursework intake is admitted (before this it had been three years).
2011: The first cohort of two-year coursework class admitted.
Postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise Management (PDEM), SAQA Qual ID 8077moves from Department of Management to Business School.
The School changes its name to Rhodes Business School, done by mutual consent with Investec Ltd.
Thought leader website launched, www.ru.ac.za/criticalthought/, which has as its stated aim, ‘defining the true purpose of business’ to raise the profile of Rhodes Business School.
Record graduation of 15 MBA students achieved.
2012: Anglo American Corporation, agree to be our partners in GRLI.
Record intake of 38 students onto MBA programme.
Launch a ‘blue ocean’ programme, “Certificate in Sustainable Business Analysis”, which has shown to be a significant contributor to job creation, partnering with Deloitte and funded by Fasset.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipients: Irina Zaulochnaya-Bouwer & Roanne Baker.
2013: Partner with Duke CE for the delivery of a customised certificate programme for managers in the Oil and Gas sector.
Record graduation of 17 MBA students achieved.
Record 5 PhD students and 33 PDEM students registered.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Tara Midgley.
2014: Restated our Vision “To transform business for a sustainable world” and Mission “To educate and influence responsible business practice, responsibly” and launched our unique 4E model.
Record graduation of 18 MBA and 35 PDEM students achieved.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Geoff Waugh.
On 28 October, The Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust (ATMDT) makes an endowment to Rhodes Business School, to host an annual lecture on Values-Based Leadership.
Professor Owen Skae is elected President of the South African Business Schools Association (SABSA) to serve a two-year term of office in 2015 & 2016. He succeeded Professor Tommy du Plessis of NWU Business School and handed the baton to Professor Steve Bluen of Wits Business School.
2015: Obtain 1st AMBA accreditation for MBA provision.
Record graduation of 21 MBA students achieved.
NQF9 MBA Accredited by Council on Higher Education (CHE) Reference: H/H13/E008CAN and registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the NQF under Qual ID 96366.
Part-time PDEM programme launched.
Inaugural Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust (ATMDT) Annual Lecture on Values-Based Leadership delivered on 25th September 2015, by South Africa’s Public Protector, Advocate Thuli Madonsela.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: Liane Petzer.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Ludwe Sityoshwana.
2016: 1st Cohort of Part-time PDEM students admitted.
2nd ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by former President Kgalema Motlanthe, on 12th September 2016.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: Carol Cuthbert & Sakhile Mqomboti.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Bafokeng Khoali.
2017: 3rd ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by former First Lady Graça Machel, on 5th October 2017.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: Dino Giovannoni.
First National Bank Economics Essay Prizewinner: Juan Haasbroek.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Leon Soko & Maeva Ternel.
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Analysis (PGBA) accredited by Council on Higher Education (CHE) Reference: H/H13/E026CAN and registered by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the NQF under Qual ID 101969.
2018: MBA provision re-accredited by AMBA.
4th ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by former Member of Parliament, Dr Makhosi Khoza, on 1st October 2018.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: Erica da Silva.
First National Bank Economics Essay Prizewinner: Cornelia Blignaut.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipients: Shaun Wyngaard & Carol Cuthbert.
2019: 1st cohort of full-time and part-time PGBA students admitted.
Professor Noel Pearse delivered an Inaugural Lecture on “The Scholarship of Leadership: An illustration of the Integration of Research, Teaching & Learning and Community Engagement” on 21st August 2019.
5th ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by Gift of the Givers Foundation Founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, on 3rd October 2019.
First National Bank Economics Essay Prizewinner: Matthew Shaw.
MBA Fellowship Award Recipient: Charlene Donald.
2020: 6th ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Mcebisi Jonas, on 5th October 2020.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: Matthew Shaw.
First National Bank Economics Essay Prizewinner: John Rohlandt.
Advanced Diploma in Business Analysis (ADBA) accredited by CHE for Contact H/H13/E035CAN & Distance H/H13/E037CAN modes and registered by SAQA on NQF under Qual ID 117952
2021: MBA provision re-accredited by AMBA.
Associate Professor Tshidi Mohapeloa is elected Deputy-Chairperson of the National Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Communities of Practice (CoP) for Entrepreneurship Learning and Teaching.
7th ATMDT Annual Lecture delivered by former Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, Minister of Labour and Minister of Finance, Mr Tito Mboweni, on 4th October 2021.
ATMDT Responsible Leadership Essay Prize Recipient: John Rohlandt.
Master of Commerce in Integrative Thinking (MCom) launched.
Last Modified: Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:26:53 SAST