Henley Business School Africa has been ranked the top academic institution offering executive education (open, custom, and online programmes) in South Africa for the second consecutive year by PMR.africa.
The ranking recognises the strength of Henley’s programmes and faculty, the support provided to students, and the return on education experienced by clients and graduates.
The business school received the highest score of all institutions surveyed by PMR.africa during September and October 2025. Respondents included HR directors and managers, CEOs and MDs, who rated the institutions across 11 attributes including: application of knowledge in the workplace, future orientation, and development of the individual strategic and tactical benefits for the company.
‘This recognition affirms the quality, relevance and impact of our executive education,’ says Jon Foster-Pedley, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor: Global Engagement (Sub-Saharan Africa) and Dean of Henley Business School Africa. ‘People are Africa’s greatest lever for development – but only if we build capability at scale. When people gain practical skills, confidence and emotional intelligence, the impact is immediate on organisations and economies alike. Management development isn't just about ticking the box for training; it's about nation-building.’
Part of the 100-year old University of Reading in the UK, Henley Business School Africa focuses on translating potential into performance through practical, applied learning.
‘Management skills are essential for cultivating effective leadership, driving strategic decision-making and fostering a culture of continuous improvement,’ says Linda Buckley, Pro Dean of Teaching and Learning and Student Experience at Henley Business School Africa.
Henley’s mission, Buckley adds, is to make management education easier, faster and more immediately useful – so organisations can build the leadership capability they urgently need. But this is not something they can do alone. It is thanks to partnerships with forward-thinking corporations – large and small – that the business school is able to roll out its vision to build the people who build the businesses that build Africa.
A defining feature of Henley’s executive education is its emphasis on learning by doing. Programmes are designed to move participants out of passive classrooms and into real, dynamic environments where insight is gained through experience.
‘Our training is built with employers and is continuously updated based on student and employer feedback to ensure it meets expectations,’ explains Jonathan Stock, Director of Open and Undergraduate Programmes at Henley Africa. ‘The focus is on developing forward-thinking graduates who can adapt and contribute positively in the future world of work. We also place a strong focus on self-mastery and confidence, and we build clear connections between the classroom and the workplace through reflection and workplace-integrated learning.’
'Henley learning is highly practical and hands-on, and of course we are also strengthening AI, data, and digital skills,’ adds Dr Janet Brumme, Head of Open Postgraduate Diploma Programmes at Henley.
Henley’s work in the skills development space is recognised globally. It’s listed among the Top 25 business schools in the world in the Financial Times 2025 ranking of Executive Education programmes, and in the top three in Africa, scoring top in the world for Faculty Diversity in the same ranking.
‘Taken together with our latest ranking from PMR.africa in its second annual survey of institutions offering executive education programmes in South Africa, this reflects the school’s growing global reputation for graduating impressive human beings who show up and know how to get things done,’ says Buckley.
Buckley adds that a standout feature of many Henley collaborations is the programme's accredited status, offering participants the unique opportunity to gain a formal qualification that can contribute towards a degree. Henley Africa has developed a "ladder of learning", refined and stress-tested over two decades, designed to fill a chronic gap in the South African market for qualifications tailored to working professionals.
‘This learning pathway provides working South Africans with “credit currency” that recognises and formalises their work experience and enables them to grow further,’ says Buckley.
‘People can progress from post-matric (NQF level 5), right up to our MBA at master’s level all while working full-time. We are directly redressing the past, allowing talented South Africans to gain accredited recognition for the work they do and build capability so that they can rise further and make a deeper impact.
‘Seeing the massive smiles on their faces when they walk across the stage on graduation day, having earned credit currency and poised to continue to build their company and country, is incredibly rewarding.’
PMR.africa CEO Johan Hattingh praised Henley’s track record, noting that excellence in education plays a critical role in lifting industry standards. ‘Henley’s ability to produce graduates with robust business acumen grounded in the African context is a combination that delivers significant value to both local and global organisations, he said.
Enquire about Henley's Executive Education programmes here.