This week, the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) reaffirmed its position as one of the world’s leading business schools. Its Executive MBA (EMBA) was named the top EMBA programme in Africa and 11th globally in the newly released 2025 CEO Magazine Global MBA Rankings.
This new ranking adds to the programme’s accolades, which include its appearance as the only African EMBA in the Financial Times rankings of the top 100 EMBAs in the world and its listing as the best EMBA in Africa and the Middle East by the QS Executive MBA Rankings.
The UCT GSB’s MBA earned top marks from CEO Magazine, with a placement in the ranking’s highest (Tier One) category. Like the EMBA, this position echoes the programme’s success in global rankings, including its placement as 7th in the world and 1st in Africa in the Better World MBA Rankings, and its position as first in Africa and among the top 100 MBAs worldwide on the QS Global MBA Rankings.
CEO Magazine’s 2025 Global MBA Rankings represent the publication’s most comprehensive evaluation to date, featuring 309 programmes from 153 schools in 24 countries. These include MBA and EMBA offerings, ranked on data-driven performance metrics such as faculty quality, international diversity, class size, accreditation, and professional development. The UCT GSB’s strong showing underscores the school’s continued commitment to delivering transformative education that is globally competitive and locally relevant.
“This ranking is a testament to the quality and relevance of our programmes and the excellent outcomes they produce for our students,” said Dr Catherine Duggan, the director of the UCT GSB. “We are proud that our Executive MBA has again been named the best in Africa, and we are very happy that the best programme in Africa is among the very best in the world.”
Transformational experience
The programme director of the EMBA, Associate Professor Camille Meyer, noted: “This ranking shows that the UCT GSB continues to provide a transformational experience to the executives who join our EMBA, more than half of whom are senior business leaders at the C-suite, chair, or board of directors level. The ranking also reflects the programme’s global academic standing, which we see in the diversity of our EMBA candidates – more than a third of whom are international, representing 14 nationalities from Africa, Europe, and Oceania.”
This year, UCT GSB participated in CEO Magazine’s global rankings for the first time. The top-tier placement of its MBA programme on its debut in these rankings highlights the programme’s success in equipping rising leaders with the critical tools, insights, and strategies needed to navigate today’s dynamic and complex environments.
“This ranking is a strong endorsement of the programme and reinforces its position among the top programmes globally.”
“This ranking is a strong endorsement of the programme and reinforces its position among the top programmes globally,” said Wayne Moodaley, full-time MBA programme director. “The programme’s excellent rating by CEO Magazine reflects the expertise of our faculty, the innovative design of our programme, and the dedication of our students.”
Dr Caitlin Ferreira, programme director of the Modular MBA, added: “Our MBA programme is uniquely positioned to prepare leaders to navigate complexity and drive meaningful change. Operating in Africa –or anywhere in the world – requires that students develop skills that are vital for global leadership, including resilience, creativity, and a deep understanding of social and environmental dynamics. By engaging directly with Africa’s challenges and opportunities, UCT GSB graduates emerge as agile, forward-thinking leaders prepared to shape a sustainable global future.”
The full EMBA rankings are available in the latest edition of CEO Magazine and online.
March 2025 | Story Supplied. Photo Supplied
