The end of January saw the start of many aspiring MBA students’ journey to success when the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Business School once again hosted a very successful Summer Study School in Potchefstroom.
An exciting and insightful five-day programme was presented from 27 to 31 January to approximately 170 students in their quest for progressive management and leadership enrichment.
The study school consisted of academic building blocks, which included a number of academic lectures, guest lectures, research, and meetings with study leaders.
This study school engaged with a number of guest lecturers who provided the students with the best advice and expertise to make the most of their studies.
During the opening day of the Summer Study School, students were welcomed by the Business School’s director, Prof Jan van Romburgh. “It is overwhelming to see so many MBA students in one venue. I wish you all the best with your studies, and my advice is to use this wonderful opportunity to gain knowledge from the lecturers and guest speakers.”
Students were privileged to be lectured by Dr Pali Lehohla, the former statistician-general of South Africa. Dr Lehohla is notorious for calling a spade a spade, and said when it comes to the recent matric pass rate, the government should stick to the facts.
“There is no way that our Grade 12 pass rate exceeds 80%. That is a lie, and it is alarming, because we are failing our youth. My advice to the youth of this country is to equip themselves with skills and further education to the best of their abilities.”
He congratulated every MBA student for their ambition and their aim to make a positive impact in our economy.
The topics lectured on and discussed in these sessions included:
- Prof Jonathan Calof: International expert on competitive intelligence
- Martin Botha: The role of the financial manager
- Dr Chris Lombard: Strategy management
- GP van Rheede van Oudtshoorn: Senior marketer, NWU Department of Marketing and Student Recruitment
- Theunis Dreyer and Reece Alberts: Environmental management
- Yoke van Dam: The power of persuasion
- Paul Malherbe: Facets of corporate operations
- Mihan Louw: Operations management
- Prof Raymond Parsons: Managerial economics
- Boitumelo Loate: Financial management
Prof Christo Bisschoff, organiser of the study school, shared important advice. “The value of an MBA lies not only in achieving the qualification, or framing the degree certificate. It entails the synergistic knowledge of all the business and management acumen and how to apply it as business skills.
“Doing well in the individual modules does count, but how an MBA graduate presents him- or herself in challenging business environments (such as a company boardroom or in a decision-making scenario) is the real test of making a difference. Strategic business thinking skills lead to sustainable business decisions, and developing strategic business thinking skills should be the ultimate goal any MBA student should strive to achieve.”
Jeanne-Marie Brown is a mother of two and recently registered to become a MBA student at the NWU Business School. She had an inspiring answer as to why she was undertaking this journey.
“The reason why I enrolled for my MBA degree is to set an example for my children as to just how important tertiary education is. No one can strip you of your education,” she said.
The study school also hosted an informal social dinner event at the Crista Galli venue just outside Potchefstroom, where the students had the opportunity to engage and get to know each other a bit better.
“We look forward to hosting the Winter Study School later this year to further leverage students’ way to career success. We as the NWU Business School are privileged to be a role player in creating economic prosperity for our country,” says Prof Van Romburgh.
Be sure to visit the NWU Business School’s Facebook page for video interviews with the guest lecturers.
