The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) has once again been recognised in the prestigious Financial Times Executive Education Rankings, securing its place among the world’s top business schools for both Customised and Open Executive Education in 2025.
This marks the 16th consecutive year that the UCT GSB has been ranked in the FT’s Customised Executive Education Ranking, a notable achievement that underscores the school’s enduring commitment to quality, impact, and client relevance. The UCT GSB was one of only two African business schools to feature in the rankings.
The school’s performance was especially strong in areas reflecting global relevance and diversity, with high scores in international client mix, delegate composition, and delivery locations. For customised programmes, the UCT GSB also ranked 19th globally for faculty diversity, acknowledging its commitment to gender and nationality representation across teaching teams.
“To have sustained a position in the FT rankings for 16 years running speaks volumes about the passion and professionalism of our team,” said Rayner Canning, Director of Business Development at the UCT GSB.
“In a highly competitive global environment, our ability to co-create transformational learning experiences with corporate, public sector, and NGO partners across the continent is a core strength of the GSB. These rankings reflect the relevance, responsiveness, and impact of the work we do.”
Such impact is evident with the recent recognition from the EFMD with the prestigious Gold Award for transformative work done in addressing leadership gaps in marginalized schools with our Principals programmme …
In the Open Executive Education ranking, which evaluates short courses open to individual applicants, the UCT GSB continues to stand out for its ability to bring a diverse and international group of participants together in dynamic learning environments, both in-person and online.
“Executive Education at the UCT GSB is about unlocking leadership potential and empowering individuals to drive real change in their organisations,” said Jodie Martin, Director of Executive Education.
“This recognition by the Financial Times affirms the work we are doing to deliver high-touch, high-impact learning that addresses the complexities of African and global business contexts.”
The FT Executive Education Rankings are among the most respected globally, with criteria including programme design, teaching quality, faculty diversity, international reach, and the extent to which learning delivers measurable outcomes for individuals and organisations.
With a portfolio that spans customised solutions for leading organisations, open enrolment short courses, and a growing digital and blended offering, the UCT GSB remains committed to shaping the leaders who shape the future – in Africa and beyond.
The full Executive Education FT rankings are available online for Customised and Open programmes.
