Absa establishes Chair in Banking at Unisa

In a major step to enhance specific study fields within Banking and Banking-related areas, Absa and Unisa have launched the first banking chair in the country. 

The partnership between Absa and Unisa will make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge on banking-related subjects and, at the same time, contribute to the development of skills in the banking sector.

Robert Emslie, Executive Director of Absa Corporate and Business Bank (ACBB), says that Absa can, through this initiative, become an enabler to provide studies and research not only in South Africa, but to the rest of Africa.

"Our ambition in Africa is to be a partner in the continents development, transformation and prosperity. This sponsorship and partnership with Unisa would enable this vision and ambition as we would be able to leverage Absa and Unisas footprint in the continent."  

Prof. Barney Pityana, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Unisa, says the grant will assist the university in pioneering programmes designed to support banking and financial services, while creating significant educational opportunities for Unisa students and Absa employees.

Unisa will co-ordinate and supervise the under- and post graduate students' studies in specific topics on Banking or Banking-related fields.

"The university will make their resources such as library facilities and expertise available to support scholars and learner leaders," says Prof. Pityana.

It will obtain accreditation of modules, interventions and programmes offered and/or sought to be developed by the Absa Chair in Banking.
 
Prof. Pityana says the university will also assist the Absa Chair in Banking with publications and news briefings on Banking topics and related fields, research findings and new developments.

Says Emslie: "Like any service industry company, our business is only as good as the people in it, which is why we put so much emphasis on having the best people and on helping them achieve their full potential."

Absa sponsors the Banking Chair to the amount of R5 million and obtains the naming rights of the Chair for the duration of the Agreement until the end of December 2011.