More Kenyans opt for Local MBA Programs

In the past, a degree from a coveted international university was a prized asset. It assured one of guaranteed promotion, even when the said candidate may not have the requisite experience. For example, some Kenyan managers and CEOs were able to rise to the top largely because of the strength of their international MBA credentials.

For instance, the current cabinet secretary of Industrialization, Mr. Adan Mohamed, even though holding a stint at PWC, and the Royal Dutch Shell Company, was able to rise quickly through the ranks and become the CEO of Barclays Bank in his late 30s partly because he possessed an MBA from Harvard Business School. It must be remembered that in the mid 2000s, having a 30 something CEO was newsworthy. Also, the former director general of the Vision 2030 program, Mr. Mugo Kibati, was able to get the top job at East African Cables partly because of his credentials at MIT, where he enrolled for a technology leadership program.

However, of late, we are witnessing a resurgence in the Kenyan business schools, and more and more hiring managers are giving graduates from local MBA programs the top lucrative jobs. Principally, the Masters of Business Administration program- MBA, is the most popular postgraduate program not just in Kenya but the world over. The reason it is so popular is because anyone with an undergraduate degree can pursue it, although admission officials advise that those with at least two years experience stand to gain most from the program. So, in a nutshell, graduates who would never have risen to managerial positions are able to bridge that gap through the MBA program. Of course, the MBA has its critics, as there are those who feel that the program cannot be a replacement for the coveted experience, fast decision making, and strategic intent skills that are so critical for one to become a successful manager and business leader.

However, even with all these criticisms, the stature of the local MBA program continues to grow. It is easy to see why more and more graduates are opting for more localized MBA programs, rather than enrolling for the MBA programs from the international business schools. The first reason is that local universities are adopting local case studies in their MBA programs, which makes them more relevant to the Kenyan and African business landscape. There continues to be many success stories in the Kenyan business environment, and many more universities are incorporating the successes and failures of these businesses into their program. For instance, the story of MPESA is well documented, as is the story of the fast rise of Equity Bank.

While the international universities use the multinational companies' success stories, these are not always applicable in the Kenyan or African market. While Harvard for example may teach all about Michael Porter strategy ideas, or the ideas of Peter Drucker, these ideas may not always apply to the Kenyan situation. By having local success stories such as the success of Equity bank, the Kenyan MBA programs are able to appeal directly to the Kenyan situation, and students who enroll in such programs may not have that 'ivory tower' outlook that is so prevalent in graduates from international schools.

Even then, more Kenyan business schools are collaborating with international business schools, which makes their programs somewhat international. For instance, Strathmore Business School continues to collaborate with the IESE business school in Spain, and this continues to give Strathmore graduates some international edge when applying for jobs both locally, regionally, and internationally. Increasingly also, many Kenyan business schools are inviting local successful business people as their guest lectures and even visiting lecturers, a practice that is common in international business schools. For instance, Kenyatta University recently invited Mr. Benson Wairegi, who has made waves in the insurance industry to be its keynote speaker during the university's graduation, while other local icons such as Safaricom's Bob Collymore and Equity's James Mwangi continue to give guest lectures to many business schools around the country.

According to data from the Graduate Management admission council- GMAC, the body that administers the GMAT exam, which is one of the requirements for applying to international business schools, the number of African students taking the GMAT exam has stayed nearly constant for the past five years at about 5,000. The clear inference from this is that because the African business schools are offering a curriculum tailored to the immediate needs of their environment, more African managers are embracing the programs and even paying for their staff to enroll for the MBA program in their home countries, and the Kenyan students are no exception.

List of Top MBA Programs in Kenya

 

Courtesy of allAfrica.com