Kathy Harvey, Associate Dean, MBA and Executive Degrees, has been at the helm of driving increased female engagement at Oxford Saïd; the work of the School’s MBA team has seen the female ratio rise 20 percentage points in the last ten years at the School.
Explaining how pivotal achieving gender balance is for the global workplace, and why it is a priority for the School, Kathy said: 'We are delighted to welcome so many female students this year, realising our long-cherished goal of creating an MBA class that addresses the long-seen imbalance in gender representation.
'Business schools like Oxford Saïd can help create a climate for change by aspiring for equal numbers of male and female students in our MBA class, and by doing all we can to create a truly diverse community with a multitude of backgrounds. We hope that by striving for equality in our community, our graduates will go on to champion this throughout their careers.'
Oxford Saïd classrooms are renowned for their emphasis on inclusion, diversity, and gender equality, and it is one of the world’s most diverse MBA campuses. This year’s MBA cohort has 97% international students from 63 nationalities and 23 sectors. The historic numbers result from a dedicated recruitment and admissions team who have carried the message of the School’s commitment to diverse classes to candidates they meet worldwide.
Ifeoma Donnellan (main picture), Oxford MBA 2023/24, said: 'To be part of Oxford Saïd, a world class institution at the forefront of championing diversity and inclusion, is truly inspiring. As a woman of African heritage, it is one of the first instances in my life where I find myself in the majority. My hope is that this can motivate other MBA programs and businesses to strive for gender parity.'