The annual MBA Tour was recently held on 12 October and featured top business schools from North America and Europe.
The tour has successfully made an impact by taking the first step in providing unique opportunities for personal interaction between top international business schools and local students to study abroad.
Individuals saw top business schools which included UPenn Wharton, Columbia, Chicago Booth, Toronto Rotman and many others.
Peter von Loesecke, chief executive officer and managing director of the tour said, “It was great to be in South Africa again this year where we had 322 people register for the event.
“We had representatives from business schools that conducted specific talks, panels and presentations which all gave insight on the importance of studying abroad and how this can benefit individuals.”
Von Loesecke said the tour showcased that MBAs abroad are not only for those from a higher Living Standard Measurement, but rather for those who are determined to achieve their goals.
He said an MBA combined with other experiences such as engineering or operations can help to differentiate themselves in the workplace. “It is an essential qualification to understand how strong brands prevail in the marketplace as well as why well-managed distribution channels often define market success rather than the product itself, and how powerful supply chains become a competitive global advantage.”
The tour also emphasised that studying abroad is not something that is impossible and completely out of reach. The main focus of the tour was to bring top business schools from across the world to meet and build relationships with potential MBA students in Johannesburg, as well as to open up valuable channels of communication.
“The MBA is definitely worth the cost if you have the right combination of experience, motivation to succeed and a career path in mind. Many successful entrepreneurs began their careers in the industry but were able to exploit ‘disrupters’ in their industries to build a new business model for delivering goods and services.
“We are looking forward to seeing how many South Africans seize the opportunity and enrol following this tour.”