Message from the Chairperson of SABSA – 2026

It is a privilege to continue serving as Chairperson of the South African Business Schools Association at a time when business education is being called to respond with clarity, courage and imagination.

The South African business school sector operates in a demanding and fast-changing environment. Our institutions are navigating rising expectations, constrained capacity, rapid technological change, shifting regulatory realities, and the urgent national need for leadership that can contribute meaningfully to economic and social development. In this context, SABSA’s role as a convening, advocacy and thought-leadership body has become more important than ever.

Over the past year, SABSA has continued to strengthen its contribution to the sector through collaboration, peer learning, strategic dialogue and focused engagement with stakeholders. We remain committed to promoting quality, good governance, institutional capability, and the shared interests of South African business schools. Our collective strength lies not merely in representing individual institutions, but in advancing the broader value proposition of business education for South Africa, Africa and the wider global community.

A central theme during the current period has been the growing prominence of artificial intelligence in higher education. What was once treated as a future-facing concern has now become an immediate strategic issue. AI is reshaping curriculum, assessment, research, institutional operations, governance and ethics. SABSA therefore has a responsibility to help create spaces where member schools can engage this transformation with seriousness, discernment and practical intent. The planned webinar with Woxsen University on AI tools for management research is one such example of our commitment to building capacity and enabling informed engagement.

We have also made important progress in strengthening international and South-South collaboration. The conclusion of memoranda of understanding with CLADEA and ACBSP Region 8 creates new opportunities for academic exchange, professional development, conference collaboration, knowledge sharing and regional networking. These partnerships are not symbolic gestures; they are practical platforms through which South African business schools can deepen their global connectedness while contributing distinctively from our own context. SABSA’s engagement with partners such as the Good Governance Academy, the ESG Exchange, GMAC, Woxsen University, AABS and other networks reflects our growing role as a credible and forward-looking association. These relationships support our commitment to governance, sustainability, research, responsible leadership and the future of management education.

At the same time, our internal sector work remains vital. The Deans and Directors meetings continue to provide an important forum for collegial engagement, mutual support and strategic reflection. Experienced leaders within SABSA continue to support new Deans and Directors, thereby strengthening continuity and leadership transition across the sector. This spirit of generosity, collegiality and shared responsibility remains one of SABSA’s most valuable assets.

Looking ahead, SABSA will continue to focus on three interrelated priorities. Firstly, we will strengthen our role in policy and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that the voice of business schools is heard in conversations that shape higher education, quality assurance, governance and national development. Secondly, we will continue to build institutional and leadership capacity across the sector through collaboration, shared learning, professional development and peer support. And, thirdly, we will position SABSA as a platform for future-oriented thought leadership, particularly in relation to AI, responsible leadership, governance, research, sustainability and the evolving contribution of business education to society.

The work ahead will require focus, discipline and collective effort. No single business school can address the complexity of the current moment alone. Yet together, through SABSA, we can build a stronger, more connected and more influential sector.

I remain grateful to our member schools, Deans and Directors, partners, and all who continue to contribute to SABSA’s work. Our association is only as strong as the commitment of those who participate in it. As we move through 2026, my invitation is simple: let us continue to collaborate with purpose, engage with courage, and lead with wisdom.

Warm regards,

Prof. Cobus Oosthuizen

Chairperson, SABSA

Articles:

– What is a “Good” Business School?