Balancing Oxford’s Business School: More Women, More Africans

Balancing Oxford’s Business School: More Women, More Africans

Over the past decade, Oxford University's Saïd Business School has increased the percentage of women in its MBA class from 26% to 44% (and rising next year). This has had a big impact on the culture of its program. In parallel, it recognised the economic rise of Africa and focused on growing its student intake from across the continent. Why and how did Oxford balance? As so often, much of the answer lies in leadership.

















Said Business School Dean Peter Tufano





Fisher Studios Ltd





Similarly to my recent case study on how the BBC gender balanced, three key factors drove the shift. But first, a look at business school balance around the globe.



European business schools are struggling to gender balance their MBA classes. Chinese schools are some of the most balanced in the world (but not yet top-ranking). The best American schools have greatly improved their balance in the past few years, with both Wharton and Stanford pushing parity at 46% and 47% women, respectively. The European schools in the FT's Top 20 are not yet crossing the 40% female mark. London Business School is at 38%, Cambridge