UCT MBA rises to second place in global sustainability ranking

The University of Cape Town's MBA program has ascended five spots to claim the second place globally in the 2026 Corporate Knights Better World MBA Ranking, maintaining its top position as Africa's leading MBA. The assessment evaluated 166 programs worldwide based on their incorporation of sustainability into business education and the graduates' impact on careers.

UCT's Graduate School of Business moved ahead of Australia's Griffith Business School, which has held the top spot for six consecutive years, with Maastricht University's School of Business and Economics in the Netherlands taking the first place.

UCT GSB director and dean Dr. Catherine Duggan stated that the result reflected the school's commitment to preparing graduates to navigate complex business environments while understanding social and environmental consequences of their decisions. She highlighted that doing business in Africa requires executives to be adaptable, strategic, and capable of finding solutions to complex challenges.

The African focus of the program exposed students to innovative approaches to business and leadership, contributing to global sustainability and responsible management discussions.

The ranking evaluates programs based on the integration of sustainable development into compulsory MBA courses (80% of the score) and graduate impact (20%), with the latter's weighting doubled from 10% in 2025. This emphasizes graduates working in sustainability-related positions or at organizations with a social or environmental mission.

Duggan emphasized that the increased focus on graduate outcomes is crucial in assessing whether business schools adequately equip students to make a meaningful difference beyond the classroom. She explained, "The true measure of business education lies not only in what students learn during their studies but in how they apply that knowledge to build more sustainable and resilient businesses while addressing social and environmental challenges."

Associate Professor Caitlin Ferreira, the programme director for the Modular MBA, stated that sustainability and responsible leadership are woven throughout the program. Students engage with real-world challenges alongside business executives, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers. The school has also integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and technological disruption into its approach to responsible business leadership.

The latest ranking further solidifies UCT GSB's status as a leading business school on the continent, as its MBA maintains its top position in Africa in the latest QS ranking.