Henley’s Global MBA ranks 64th in the world, 38th for diversity, and in the top 15% for Career Outcomes in the latest QS Global Ranking of Executive MBAs.
Henley Business School’s Global Executive MBA, which launched in the South African market in 2024, has maintained its position in the world top 100 business schools, improving one place to 64th out of the world's top 204 schools ranked in the 2025 QS Global rankings of Executive MBAs, released this week.
With 11 new entrants to the Executive MBA QS Rankings, Henley has maintained an overall 2nd-quartile position. Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director of Henley Business School Africa, said it was notable that the school has moved up the ranking, despite the increased competition. ‘Considering there are over 13,500 business schools in the world, to remain consistently ranked at this level, despite the growing number of entrants and the intensifying global competition, is a significant achievement and a reflection of our enduring academic excellence and commitment to innovation, impact and continuous improvement,’ he commented.
The school improved its score in the ranking for student diversity, which measures gender balance and diversity of student nationalities, reporting 13 distinct student nationalities on its programme and climbing 13 places from 51st to 38th, putting it in the top 10% of business schools in the ranking. Henley also ranked strongly on employability and thought leadership, where it climbed nine places and seven places respectively, recording its highest score since Henley’s participation in this ranking. Employability evaluates the perceptions of global employers on which institutions are providing the most job-ready candidates, while thought leadership derives from the QS Academic Reputation Survey, which measures which institutions are demonstrating academic excellence through research and other outputs.
Henley also places in the top quartile for the executive profile of its students, meaning that the classes are made up of individuals with extensive and varied management and C-Suite experience and is ranked in the top 15% for Career Outcomes.
Head of the MBA in South Africa, Lynneth Zungu, said that the ranking is a powerful testament to Henley’s commitment to inclusive excellence. 'By bringing together students from Johannesburg, London and Mumbai in the same classroom, we don’t just teach theory, we show students how to navigate real-world challenges, listen with empathy, and spot opportunities across cultures. That lived experience is what turns them into leaders who innovate confidently and connect with any market,' she says.
Henley Business School, which is part of the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, has had an established presence in South Africa for the past 30 years and offers a range of business qualifications in management practice from post-matric through to doctoral level.
The Henley Global MBA programme, with an international student body of senior leaders drawn from Europe, UK and Africa, is offered part-time over 24 months in several markets across the world. It is the only qualification of its kind in Africa and features five deep-dive global immersions in strategic business hubs across the world, exploring global commerce, innovation, and strategic leadership. The degree is awarded in both South Africa and the United Kingdom.
‘Our Global MBA opens doors across continents,’ says Foster-Pedley. ‘It’s an elite programme for people who are prepared to invest more into differentiating themselves and growing their careers. High-level learning is paired with personal, high-touch executive coaching, making the programme a rare synthesis of prestige, personal growth, and perspective. There is really nothing to touch it in the African market right now.’
The QS rankings are well respected for their credibility in the higher education marketplace. This ranking looks at five key metrics:
The Henley Global MBA performs consistently strongly in other rankings as well. Earlier this year, it was ranked 12th in the world by QS Global Trade Rankings, and it is ranked 52nd in the world by the Financial Times Global MBA rankings.
The next intake of the Henley Global MBA in South Africa will be in October.
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