History
It all started with 14 students
From its inception in 1964, the USB has become a renowned player in the international business school community. Since its humble beginnings with 14 registered MBA students over four decades ago, the USB has expanded to become a fully fledged postgraduate business school with international accreditation, cooperation agreements with various international business schools, and almost one thousand MBA, Master's and PhD graduates. Many of the USB's alumni have become admired leaders in all spheres of society.
Timeline
| 2009 | The USB offers a Modular MBA with classes starting in June. |
| 2008 | The Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement is established. The USB becomes one of only two African business schools with an A-rating for "universal business schools with major international influence" in the French Eduniversal Official Selection. The USB receives AMBA reaccreditation. The USB achieves first place in the South African 2008 PMR.africa rankings. The USB produces a finalist in AMBA's global MBA Student of the Year Competition, namely Kagisho Mahura. |
| 2007 | USB-ED becomes the first business school entity in SA to conclude a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) transaction, and is listed in the Financial Times Top 50 rankings. An agreement is signed with Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School in Belgium to establish joint chairs. The Unit for Corporate Governance in Africa is established. The Aspen Institute, USA, ranks the USB on its Beyond Grey Pinstripes Top 100 Schools list for promoting social and environmental sustainability in its curricula and research. |
| 2006 | The USB receives EQUIS accreditation and becomes a member of the European Doctoral Programmes Association in Management and Business Administration (EDAMBA), based on the quality of its PhD. Three black USB students beat all contenders (28 teams) at the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) Student Case-writing Competition sponsored by DaimlerChrysler in the USA. |
| 2005 | USB receives first position in the ranking of the Professional Management Review (PMR) and number two in the ranking of the Financial Mail. The Centre for Development Policy and Partnership is created. The class time of the Modular MBA programme is curtailed through redesign. |
| 2004 | After a stringent audit of all local MBA providers, the Council on Higher Education in South Africa fully accredits the USB MBA programme. |
| 2003 | The first students enrol for the new Master's in Development Finance (MDevFin). The USB is invited to join the Aspen Institute's Teaching Innovation Program. |
| 2002 | The USB receives international accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA). USBI, the USB's full-service library, is opened. The USB introduces its Full-time PhD. |
| 2001 | The USB receives international EQUIS accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). |
| 2000 | A public company, USB Executive Development Limited (USB-ED), is established to manage the USB's non-degree programmes. |
| 1999 | The Africa Centre for Investment Analysis (ACIA) is established. |
| 1998 | The Bellvista Lodge with 41 rooms and a restaurant opens its doors. The first measurements for high-level leadership competencies are done. A group of MBA students visit two European business schools for the first time. |
| 1997 | The name of the Centre for Transformation Leadership is changed to the Centre for Leadership Studies (CLS). The Full-time MBA is presented in English for the first time in order to accommodate international students. |
| 1996 | An English-medium Modular MBA programme is introduced. |
| 1995 | The first exchange students from the Rotterdam Business School arrive. The permanent faculty consists of 11 professors, 4 associate professors and 3 senior lecturers. |
| 1994 | The Institute for Applied Management Sciences dissolves and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and the Centre for Transformation Leadership are established. |
| 1992 | The name of the Department of Business Management and Administration changes to the Graduate School of Business (now the USB). |
| 1991 | Management Development Programmes are presented in Namibia for the first time. |
| 1990 | The USB Alumni Club founds its Future Fund to support deserving students. An English-medium Senior Management Programme is introduced. |
| 1989 | MBA student numbers reach 580. |
| 1986 | The Department relocates to the Bellville Park Campus. |
| 1984 | The Senior Management Programme is introduced. |
| 1982 | The first students register for the Modular MBA programme and the Institute for Applied Management Sciences is established. The first Belgian exchange students arrive. |
| 1981 | The current premises in Bellville are acquired. |
| 1979 | A total of 171 MBA and 21 DBA students are enrolled. Permanent staff consist of 4 professors and 4 senior lecturers. |
| 1976 | The Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management is founded to present business development programmes in self-governing black states. |
| 1974 | Student numbers total 90. |
| 1973 | In order to move closer to the business community, the Department of Business Management and Administration relocates to Bellville. |
| 1970 | The first 4 Full-time staff members are appointed and move into offices in Merriman Avenue, Stellenbosch, although lectures are still presented in Bellville. A total of 70 students enter for various courses. |
| 1969 | An independent Department of Business Management and Administration is established. |
| 1968 | The first DBA degree is conferred. |
| 1967 | Students can enrol for a Full-time or Part-time MBA. |
| 1966 | The first 8 MBA degrees are awarded. |
| 1964 | The first 14 MBA students commence with their studies at the USB. |
