NWU BUSINESS SCHOOL PHD HUB FOR AFRICA
Aligned with the Business School’s vision of shaping executive minds in Africa, we are proud to introduce our PhD Hub — a strategic project aimed at establishing and developing PhD students and increasing PhD supervisory capacity across Africa. This PhD Hub will target industry leaders and students in Africa who wish to study for a doctoral degree in business management and scholars who aspire to pursue a PhD in Business Administration.
Additionally, it will provide a platform for promotors and supervisors from African universities to enhance their skills in PhD supervision. This initiative represents a significant step towards fostering academic excellence and leadership throughout Africa.
The NWU Business School has laid a bold foundation and unveiled the PhD Hub for Africa, a groundbreaking initiative designed to cultivate doctoral talent and expand supervisory expertise across the continent. The PhD Hub was introduced on Monday, 10 March 2025, during the International Conference on Green and Sustainable Development, held at the Kigali Serena Hotel, Rwanda.
With a history of producing impactful PhDs, this strategic initiative aligns with the NWU Business School’s vision of Shaping Executive Minds in Africa and underscores its commitment to impactful and transformative research. Recognising the growing demand for high-quality doctoral education, the PhD Hub bridges the gap between academia and industry by fostering a new generation of thought leaders, innovators, and impactful researchers.
The PhD Hub for Africa is aimed at industry professionals and emerging scholars seeking a PhD in Business Administration and academic supervisors looking to enhance their doctoral mentorship expertise.
Professor Joseph Sekhampu, Chief Director of the NWU Business School, emphasised the Hub’s role in elevating the quality and impact of doctoral research.
This initiative strengthens the NWU Business School’s strategic focus on internationalisation, forging collaborations with African and global academic institutions and industry leaders to ensure that African business research remains relevant, globally competitive, and deeply rooted in the continent’s unique economic and social landscape. The PhD Hub will serve as a catalyst for impactful research, connecting scholars, business executives, and policymakers to drive transformational change across Africa.
As part of this ambitious endeavour, the NWU Business School is engaging with continent-wide and international networks to provide PhD candidates with world-class mentorship, research resources, and exposure to global best practices. This will ensure that doctoral research emerging from the PhD Hub is both academically rigorous and practically transformative in addressing Africa’s critical economic and managerial challenges.
The NWU Business School invites potential PhD candidates, academic supervisors, and industry experts to get in contact with us and become a part of this transformative initiative.
PHD PROGRAMME MANAGER & PHD HUB COORDINATOR
Prof Emmanual Mutambara
“This initiative is a bold step towards strengthening Africa’s research capabilities and shaping the future of business leadership on the continent. By creating a platform for rigorous scholarship and high-impact research, we are not only empowering doctoral candidates but also fostering sustainable solutions to Africa’s business and economic challenges.”