A word from the Executive Dean: Achieving the Unachievable

The unprecedented coronavirus crisis in the 2020 academic year has presented significant new challenges to the way we teach, research and engage with our communities. If the pandemic has shown one thing, it is that expertise in ODeL and virtual teaching methods matter. The Lockdown Regulations ushered in, a new way of working and accountability. Creating connections and developing trust amongst staff that sit behind a computer screen has been a challenge that we have all embraced.

We are mindful of the challenges and threats that the pandemic has added to the business landscape. We are also acutely aware of how the pandemic has provided opportunities to trail blaze new frontiers under our four research focus areas: (1) Responsible Leadership in Practice; (2) Sustainable Livelihoods; (3) Intra-Africa Trade and Investment; and (4) Digital Transformation and Investment. These four focus areas fortify our identity in the marketplace.

 As we reimagine the future of the SBL post Covid-19, we will continuously seek value-adding ways of articulating our mission and vision:

 Our vision is to be the leading business school in Africa; the one that creates leaders of distinction with fresh solutions for society and business.

 Our mission is to go beyond known boundaries with disruptive thinking in creating business solutions with impact.

 Our strategy is to achieve the unachievable.  The strategy is built around nine goals:

(1)    student’s success; 

(2)    Business education of high quality standards;

(3)    influential research outputs that tackle global challenges in the context of the 2063 African Union Agenda;

(4)    vibrant partnerships and collaborations;

(5)    attracting, developing, retaining and supporting our people to achieve the unachievable;

(6)    achieving financial integrity by fostering a culture of trust, accountability and compliance with regulations;

(7)    putting SBL on a road that goes beyond financial sustainability - to affluence, for the benefit of all SBL stakeholders;

(8)    to leverage on innovative technology to create an enriching experience for staff and students as they navigate the ODeL environment;

(9)    Transform governance and scholarship.

With the transformational shift to a fully online environment, the SBL will be the first College to integrate innovative 4th and 5th IR technologies to build digital teaching and learning capabilities. In 2021 we want to build our success on a strong and vibrant partnership with our students, alumni and all our stakeholders with a clear focus on financial sustainability and affluence. We will measure our success against six critical success factors:

a)      student centricity in an ODeL environment;

b)     academic performance in an ODeL environment;

c)      employee performance in an ODeL environment; and

d)     financial sustainability.