The Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership (ALCRL) is proud to announce that Mr Pieter Conradie, the Programme Director for Integrated Reporting became the first graduate of the MPhil in Business Management with the focus on Responsible Leadership. It is a two-year multidisciplinary programme offered part-time by the ALCRL.

An accountant by profession, Mr Conradie says the reason he chose this course was to advance his expertise in the field of responsible leadership, as this is a major driving force in the advancement of sustainability in the world of finance which he is involved in. The most challenging aspect of this programme was the research, says Pieter, but through hard work and dedication he now has his master’s degree. .

The MPhil in Responsible Leadership programme, with an emphasis on the role of business leadership in shaping a sustainable future, was launched in January 2012. The aim of the degree is to develop an appreciation for the emerging theories on leadership and alternative views on the role and nature of leadership. The programme further aims to facilitate a critical exploration of the role of business in a complex multi-stakeholder society, and the connectedness of business with society and the natural environment.

The programme follows a problem-based learning approach, and participants are expected to demonstrate how they have utilised their ‘projects’ as vehicles for learning in this course, by integrating and building on perspectives from the course and the literature, and their own contexts.

When asked if he will recommend this programme to any prospective student, Pieter has this to say: “This programme is tailored for anyone who wants to be part of a positive change to the world and shaping a sustainable future. It requires passion, dedication and hard work and knowing what you want.”