Perspective on South African Universities

Hi all

Having (sort of) decided to go the ZA route and do a doctorate, the decision becomes more of a PT one than strictly DL, since I live in South Africa. Local degrees aren't seen as the cheap option, and there are some strong views regarding which university is "better". For example, one local ranking of MBAs is
that of the Financial Mail (South Africa), shown below. Generally, in terms of research, UCT is way out in front, with Wits having fallen back a bit. UNISA is a solid 4th/5th/6th.

Although I'm sure all are good universities, I'm gathering any other opinions. Do any of you (esp based in Europe, since I also work there), have opinions on the relative merits of ZA universities (business studies-wise), or have you heard any opinions on them ?

For background, and in current order of preference, I'm down to

1. PhD program: U Witwatersrand (Wits), through either the business school or the business science deprtment
2. UCT PhD program
3. UNISA DBL program (which is prob the way to go, given its structure and relevence, but I'm resisting it a little...)
4. Natal DBA program


Any thoughts would be welcome.

Angela



Financial Mail Ranking of MBA Programs run in South Africa

(Based on opinions of 274 employers and recruiters)

1- Wits University; 2- Univ of Cape Town; 3- UNISA; 4- Stellenbosh Univ; 5- Univ of Pretoria; 6- Henley Management College/GIMT; 7- RAU; 8- Bond Univ; 9- Univ of Potchestroom; 10- Univ of Wales; 11- De Montford Univ; 12- Heriot Watt Univ; 13- Dimension Data; 14- Univ of Durban Westville; 15- Millpark Bus School; 16- Univ of Southern Queensland

 

You're from there..

so you would have a much better prerspective than I do, but I think your list is about right. The first 3 schools on your list should have some, if not a lot of, name recognition in Europe. Natal would but with the upcoming mergers and name changes that will impact its recognition.

 

Natal's business school is not well known.

The traditional top two are UCT and Wits, with Wits generally #1 in recent years. The rest are all rather questionable.

Former Director of Wits Business School, Mike Ward, was a friend of mine at UCT in the 70's.

 

is UNISA the same one accredited by DETC? Based upon recoommendations from some of the members in this forum would it be wise to consider?

 

Unisa's authority to grant degrees derives from its Royal Charter, granted in 1877. The DETC accreditation is entirely irrelevant to a prospective student in South Africa (such as Angela).

 

Dear me, I'd avoid Natal like the plague because of the merger with Technikon Pan-Demonium (UDW). I looked long and hard at a doc program at UDW, and realized that my decision 25 years ago not to go into psychiatric chaplaincy was still one of the few really smart things I ever did, and that ending up in a bughouse now would be gatvol with endless grief.
Hang shiftlessly around UDW's website and then ask yourself: do I really, really need THIS atmosphere to get what I want out of university?

Jaundiced view? Jawellnofine.
All your alternatives are better than the Vichy version of Natal.

 

Thank you, I understand.