A PARTNER’S JOURNEY

by Shuaib Masters supported by

Hazra Masters and

Paayal Morar

in association with

THECONTEXT

• Small, family, entrepreneurial, growing……• Ownership legacy of several generations in education

and training with successful management succession• Inception in 1993• Strategic location in Harare’s CBD• 21 years professional training• 17 years UK MBA part-time postgraduate education• Collaborative outsourcing flexible model

2

3

PROBLEMScreate

OPPORTUNITIES

• NTU announce exit from all global partnerships 2007• OLC ‘s platform of successful UK postgraduate

education collaboration with NTU since 1995• 2009 US dollarisation and Government of National

Unity• OLC’s access to Zimbabwe’s corporate, public and

NGO sectors• Directly & through executive alumni• UoG’s interest in a unique, strong diverse partner 4

RISK MITIGATION

• OLC ownership background and reputation• Legal framework and stakeholders• Governance and QA• UoG reputation• OLC finances• UoG finances• Family competences and managerial depth• Currency Z$ to US$ to £• Country risk – worst case scenarios

5

DUE DILIGENCEand

COLLABORATION

• 2009 Reconnaisance visit by UoG Business School• Meeting with acting Deputy VC and CP management• Business Case PGCM, PGDM, MBA, MSc A&F• 2010 IAV proposal followed by Panel visit• The Agreement• QA structure and processes implementation• Sep 2010 Successful launch after intensive marketing drive• Partnership control, coordination and collaboration• Successful QA reports and Periodic Reviews• QAA HER meeting 6

EVOLUTION

• Masters’ stage Franchise to Validation• QA enhancement and development at UoG and OLC• Infrastructural and organisational enhancement• Soft – staff, style, shared values• Hard – strategy, systems, structure• Soft and Hard – skills• Synergy – transferring skills, sharing resources and

integrating activities• Collaboration channel and process enhancement

7

A FEW CHALLENGESOVERCOME

• Transition from NTU to UoG• Dubai and PGCERT FM• Student access to online resources• Transcripts• Entry requirement contextualisation• Financial arrangements• Management changes at UoG• Implementation of enhanced QA processes and procedures at

both ends• Transition to new validated programme

8

QUOVADIS?

• ZIMCHE (Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education) local QAA submission in September 2015

• Regional Expansion mooted at the outset• Zambia through Southern Acacia University• Existing products new market• Concentric diversification – distance learning and

blended learning• Research collaboration

9

10