Stakeholders and Partnerships Collaboration with national and international industry, societies, policymakers, and organisations further strengthen the CBE’s meaningful partnerships and knowledge exchange by integrating global perspectives. Schools and departments host numerous industry stakeholders’ engagements, and industry advisory committees ensure that the CBE remains relevant and a preferred provider of commerce education, skills, and research. The CBE has entrenched itself as a pivotal catalyst for socioeconomic transformation through a robust external engagement strategy that bridges the gap between high-level scholarship and industry needs. A cornerstone of this effort is exemplified by the appointment of Prof Stella Bvuma (Director of the School of Consumer Intelligence and Information Systems) by the South African Cabinet to the Independent Development Trust Board. These accolades are mirrored by the conferral of honorary doctorates on transformative figures, such as Prof Wiseman Nkuhlu. The College’s professional relevance is further reinforced through deep institutional relationships and prestigious accreditations across its various schools. The School of Tourism and Hospitality (STH) continues to honour its storied legacy through The Kerzner@UJ, a culinary and hospitality hub named in homage to the late hospitality pioneer, Sol Kerzner, which provides students with world-class practical exposure. In the Department of Marketing Management, research excellence is driven by the Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA) Leadership Chair, while the Department of Transport and Supply Chain Management maintains a strategic partnership with the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) through the TETA 4IR Research Chair. Our accounting departments remain the benchmark for professional excellence; the Department of Commercial Accounting holds prestigious ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) accreditation, while the Department of Accountancy is a premier SAICA (South African Institute of Chartered Accountants) accredited provider, consistently ranking as the largest contributor of successful African candidates to the accounting profession. Investment in the future of South African financial leadership reached a significant milestone in 2025 through a strategic partnership between the College of Business and Economics and BankSETA. This collaboration materialised in a substantial funding injection of R3.276 million, specifically earmarked to empower 26 full-time, unemployed South African students. By removing the financial barriers to high-level education, this initiative serves as a critical bridge for talented individuals to enter the specialised world of the Department of Finance and Investment Management (DFIM), ensuring that the next generation of industry experts reflects the demographics and potential of the nation. The impact of this funding is felt across a diverse range of academic levels, from foundational undergraduate studies to advanced specialised research. Students enrolled in the BCom Finance and BCom Honours in Investment programmes are now equipped with the resources to focus entirely on their academic rigour, while postgraduate candidates in the MCom Investment Management (RD), MCom Quantitative Finance (RD), and the MCom Investment (Coursework) streams are empowered to drive the sophisticated research needed for modern markets. This bursary scheme Industry Stakeholders Engagement Technopreneurship TPC students offering donations during the Mandela Day 2025 Community engagement: PathWISE project does more than just pay fees; it cultivates a pipeline of graduates in high-demand fields like quantitative finance and investment management, directly supporting the CBE’s mission to produce globally competitive scholars who are grounded in the economic realities of South Africa. Community Engagement Projects UJ Business Clinic: “From classroom to boardroom” The UJ Business Clinic is an experiential learning platform of the School of Management, Department of Business Management, where students serve as business advisors to township and emerging SMMEs. They perform business diagnostics, develop tailored business plans, craft growth and digital marketing strategies, and conduct financial and risk analyses to support real enterprises. This dual-impact model simultaneously strengthens student employability and enhances the sustainability and competitiveness of small businesses. The initiative advances SDGs 1, 2, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 17 and, being continuous, it provides an ongoing cycle of community and student benefit. Saturday Tutoring Programme: “Saturdays that shift trajectories” The School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy annually runs tutor programmes from February to October. This programme provides structured academic reinforcement for more than 70 high school learners in Soweto. Every Saturday, from 09:00 to 14:00, approximately 30 UJ students volunteer as tutors and mentors, delivering lessons in Mathematics, Physical Sciences and other key subjects. The programme advances SDG 4 by addressing educational inequality whilst offering UJ students’ handson developmental experience in governance, leadership and public value creation. Its continuity and strong NGO partnership (Classroom Buddies) ensure sustained educational impact. Jars of Hope: “Nutrition, nurturing, and neighbourhoods” Jars of Hope, a School of Tourism and Hospitality initiative, provides nutrientdense, readytocook meal jars to mothers within the Hamba Bamba Funda early childhood development network. Each jar offers a wholesome meal for a family of four, and mothers are also trained to prepare jars themselves. UJ students support the project through nutrition education and community engagement. The initiative contributes to SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 12, and its sustainability lies in skills transfer, community empowerment, and the ongoing collaboration between UJ and the NGO. 78 79 College of Business and Economics | Annual Report 2025 College of Business and Economics | Annual Report 2025
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