How the Gordon Institute of Business Science is placing leadership at the core of a new agenda for Africa's finance and banking professionals.

The Gordon School of Business Science (GIBS) is situated in Johannesburg, South Africa's economic hub, and has been, since its establishment in 2000, a business school that is from and for the community. As a place of learning, however, it challenges its students to stretch their thinking and to re-evaluate existing ideas by looking beyond not only South Africa and the African continent, but across the globe.

According to Jonathan Cook, Executive Director of GIBS, in addition to developing South Africa's leaders, there is also a broader need to equip a community of leaders beyond the country's borders.

"Executive leadership is a critical component in organisational success," he says. "The impact on employees and on the bottom line of a good leader with a clear strategy for his/her business can be very substantially different from that of an ordinary leader. One strategic decision can make or break an organisation. Similarly, organisational climate under good leadership can increase performance by 20% or more. The importance of having an organisation's leadership up to the task cannot be emphasised sufficiently."

Managing in a world of enormous complexity is no easy matter, says Nick Binedell, Director of GIBS, and, for those open to the experience, South Africa provides a remarkable place to learn the business knowledge and insights needed to take a lead in business.

"At the Gordon Institute of Business Science we have always believed that we can play a significant role in South Africa by ensuring that leaders in our business community have the opportunity to develop their skills and business acumen to meet the enormous opportunities that a dynamic and rapidly changing world presents."

GIBS offers three executive development programmes (EDP) and in a more recent development, GIBS, in partnership with Cass Business School in the UK, has launched a newly created Finance Executive Development Programme aimed at senior finance and banking professionals. The first course takes place in London from July 16-24.

The Finance EDP will extend across all the core areas of finance and banking – capital markets and liquidity, private equity and asset management, ethics and governance, retail banking, investment banking and corporate finance.

Professor Mike Ward, who holds the ABSA Chair of Finance at GIBS, says the programme will look at some of the bigger strategic questions and the latest research on behavioural finance.

"The past two years have been a roller coaster ride and understanding the impact of these changes is critical for leaders and decision-makers," he says. "It's an intensive eight-day programme, presented at a very high level, and while we've tried to keep it quite broad, we trust it will give delegates insight into global financial markets and economies."

Cook says executive development programmes such as the ones offered at GIBS provide a superb opportunity to see things through other people's eyes. "So often we get caught up in the narrow perspectives of our own organisation or social context. The networks are invaluable – any good senior management programme is very much discussion-based and discovery-based. You form close relationships with people you have never met before, and whom you may not otherwise have met."

Recognising the limited time executives have to devote to studies, the GIBS programme has been designed to expose people to intense experiences and perspectives.

"To add to the richness of each programme, we try to include a good spread of delegates from different industries, disciplines and countries. Information is useful, but you can get it for free off the internet. What makes the difference with these programmes is the encounter, the experience and the challenge to one's way of thinking."

Senior level programmes will typically expose people to perspectives outside their normal experience, but it is also valuable to gain a global perspective, says Cook, and, in common with other GIBS executive programmes, the Finance programme has an international travel component.

In London, the finance modules will be led by hand-picked faculty from GIBS and other leading international business schools, who will provide teaching in key disciplines. A range of guest speakers, all leaders in their field, will also expose participants to local and international best practice.

"Although many executives will have travelled, it's different travelling as a study group. Even if you have visited one of our destinations before, we're able to set up meetings and encounters you wouldn't normally have if you were travelling privately," he says.

"Not only that, but by examining these other countries as a group we learn more about South Africa. Sometimes I think the international travel component of these trips is more informative about South Africa, doing business in South Africa and ourselves than it is even of the countries we visit."

Now in its tenth year, GIBS has rapidly grown to become one of South Africa's leading business schools. In 2009, GIBS was again ranked as one of the world's top business schools by the UK's Financial Times and was the only African business school to be placed in the top 45 business schools worldwide for executive education programmes.

Over the past decade, more than 70 South African and global companies have invested in the development of their leaders through GIBS, and the inaugural Finance Executive Development Programme will bring financial professionals into contact with cutting-edge thought leadership and the latest developments in global finance and banking.

For GIBS, its distinct advantage is its ability to design programmes from an understanding of the unique potential and capabilities that Africa offers the international finance and banking community.

As ‘the business school for business', GIBS is self-proclaimedly passionate about providing business education that is not only world-class, but also relevant to the times in which we live.

"In a highly competitive world such as the one we live in, it is critical that as South Africans we focus on being the best," says Director Nick Binedell.

"The habits of champions are a vital asset for nations. As GIBS embarks on the next 10 years of our journey, it is our commitment to remain true to our origins and to contribute to building a stronger, more competitive and more sustainable society through business education."

Find out more about GIBS at: www.gibs.co.za

When it comes to business qualifications that offer both quality and an affordable price, ABE is hard to beat. We talk to Christine Gill, Deputy Chief Executive of ABE, about the company's latest developments.

ABE has successfully provided business education across Africa for many years, with representatives in countries including Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Gambia and Botswana. ReConnect Africa asked Christine Gill, Deputy Chief Executive of ABE about the organisation and how it is responding to the economic challenges faced by today's professionals.

Christine Gill (CG): ABE is an awarding body of high-quality, low cost business management qualifications. ABE offers qualifications in six subjects: Business Management, Business Information Systems, Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing and Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management. These subjects are available at Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma and, in the case of Business Management, Postgraduate Diploma Level.

CG: ABE qualifications are really flexible, they are available part-time or full-time. You can study privately or through an extensive network of colleges (over 500 worldwide) and you can take as much or as little time as you need to pass the exams. This makes them incredibly popular with those who need to combine work and study.

CG: ABE was formed in 1973 and it is internationally recognised. Africa has always been important to us and our name is well established in many African countries where generations have taken our qualifications. ABE qualifications are fully accredited by the official UK regulator, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Ikechukwu David Nwibe, Nigeria

Ikechukwu is studying privately for an ABE Certificate in Human Resource Management (HRM) whilst working as a project manager at the Future Hope Foundation of Nigeria.

"I have always been more interested in learning and mastering a skill rather than just a qualification and I believe ABE offers such opportunity. With my qualifications and work experience, I know I could have been considered for the Diploma level entry but I made up my mind to start from scratch because I want to know all the rudiments of that profession. I believe ABE is great value for money and faster than the conventional educational system (university and the rest) and I will be able to get my MBA started without a university degree.

I hope to go ahead with my MBA as soon as I am through with the ABE HRM program and I might consider working with an international development agency.

I have already recommended ABE to two of my friends and I did that because it is a solution to many problems.

I know the qualification will transform my career and my finances. With it I believe I will have easy access to some world class organisations."

CG: I think people recognise that now, more than ever, to succeed in the job market it is important to stand out with a good quality education, particularly in areas such as business management, but obviously cost is an issue for many.

ABE was set up as a not for profit organisation with the sole aim of enhancing social and economic development through the provision of relevant affordable qualifications. We are aware that many people are facing financial hardship and strive to keep our costs to a minimum. This means we offer one of the lowest cost routes available to gain a high-quality British management qualification.

CG: As well as keeping our fees to a minimum, we also strive to ensure that our qualifications are available locally to as many people as possible. This means people don't lose out if they don't have the resources to go overseas to study. There are around 200 ABE Accredited Colleges running our programmes in 17 African countries and we are adding to this total all the time.

We also provide a wealth of free online support material and we believe in rewarding success so there are financial prizes for the highest performing students.

CG: In recent months we have newly accredited colleges in Nairobi and Botswana. We have also opened a local branch in South Africa. Here we offer ABE qualifications as part of a programme of continuing professional development for managers. And we are very excited by the recent opening of an ABE office in Cameroon and the accreditation of our first Cameroonian college.

It is particularly rewarding when a new area is able to benefit from easier access to ABE qualifications and the great thing about opening regional offices is that we are employing local people and doing local marketing and this is puts something back into the country's economy. Altogether we have representatives in twelve African countries.

CG: Another exciting development for ABE is the launch of our Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management. This means that students can go straight onto an MBA and those with relevant work experience can get direct access to a postgraduate qualification. It’s early days for this programme and we are working to accredit African colleges but we have already had a tremendous response from our students so, for those who can't wait for it to be offered locally, there is an online mentor to provide the necessary support to enable it to be done privately.

Tamanda Sauka Business Management Student, Malawi

Tamanda is studying part-time whilst working in the human resources department of a company called Admarc.

"I heard about ABE from my sister who is also studying Business Management.

I chose ABE because:

1. I have seen so many people succeeding after attaining ABE qualifications.
2. ABE rewards hard working students through scholarships, this really motivated me and I rated ABE to be number one.
3. ABE's exams fees and membership fees are not expensive.
4. ABE is widely recognised and it is easier to get a job if one possesses an ABE qualification.

From my studies, I have gained wide knowledge such as communication skills and good report/letter writing. I have also greatly improved on my verbal/oral communication in terms of body language when speaking to clients and authorities at work. Because ABE is widely recognised I have already recommended ABE qualifications to two colleagues at work who are planning to enrol, and also to my cousin.

My aspiration is to go to university for a Masters level degree. I also expect that my ABE qualification will help me get promoted to management.

To other ABE students, there is nothing dear without sweat. Everything needs hard work. Indeed practice makes perfect and if we practice (accounting, quantitative methods) and study hard, we will succeed and ABE is here to help us be who we want to be."

CG: It goes without saying that we are constantly growing the number of universities which, in recognition of the quality of our programmes, sign formal progression agreements.

ABE graduates now have a fantastic choice of great universities that they can go to. And, as always with a mind for those who have limited funds, we now have several university partners who offer top up degrees by distance learning plus there are local options in Kenya and Namibia.