A market survey and needs assessment highlighted demand for development of Masters in Business Administration specializing in Customs Management. This programme is, therefore, ESAMI’s response to the felt needs of our clients.
This Specialized MBA is modeled on the highly successful ESAMI MBA which has been running since 1999. As with the on-going MBA, our graduates will acquire the following distinguishing qualities:
- A highly developed global mindset with a grasp of international management issues with a regional and local focus.
- Ability to think critically, strategically and independently
- Enhanced quest for practical innovations and creativity in business management
- Ability to manage diversity
- Ability to initiate change and maintain a competitive edge and
- An entrepreneurial and innovative ability.
WHY ESAMI MBA IN CUSTOMS MANAGEMENT?
Trade liberalization, which emphasizes improving market access and lowering both tariff and non-tariff barriers, will play a vital role in Africa’s economic growth and poverty alleviation. Improved trade facilitation complements this liberalization process for it to achieve its objectives. Increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of customs operations and administration is a key component of the trade facilitation agenda.
Ever since the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in Singapore in 1996, international trade discussions have focused on trade facilitation. Trade facilitation was a key agenda item at the WTO summit in Cancun in 2003. This is just one example of how trade negotiators see trade facilitation, together with policies that reduce trade barriers, as a powerful way of helping countries to integrate better in the regional and world economy, and thereby enhance their growth prospects. Inefficiencies in customs management and administration, and declining fiscal revenue to governments, necessitated many countries in Africa to implement customs reforms in the 1990s. Customs reforms have involved
import tariffs, legislation, procedures, and clearance time, integrity and corruption, valuation and pre-shipment inspection, certificates of origin,information and communication technology, special import regimes, goods in transit, and personnel issues and training. In some African countries, it
takes on average, anything between 10 to 20 days for imports to clear customs, while in South East Asia it takes between 2 to 3 days only.Overall, it takes 58 days for a typical import transaction in Africa, while it is only 14 days in the OECD countries. On average, it takes 3 times as many days, nearly twice as many documents, and 6 times as many signatures to trade in poor country as it does in rich countries.
ESAMI is aware that without a critical mass of trained staff in customs management, Africa’s customs performance will remain poor in spite of comprehensive reform programmes.
There are three important factors which distinguish the ESAMI MBA in Customs Management from others.Firstly, given their busy schedule, customs administrators cannot afford to be away from their work places for up to two years to attend a full time Masters Degree progamme overseas. By offering a schedule which combines work with education, the ESAMI MBA in Customs Management gives the Customs Manager and Administrator an opportunity to work and still study and qualify for a degree.
Secondly, the ESAMI MBA in Customs Management has all the ingredients of a Customs Masters Degree Programme offered overseas. Over and above that, this programme has included courses which are of immediate relevance and applicability to Africa. These include Customs Reform and
Modernization, and Regulatory Compliance Management. Thirdly, the ESAMI MBA in Customs Management enables the student to benefit from a combined African and Australian learning experience since professors for the Programme will come from ESAMI and the University of Canberra in Australia.
I, therefore, urge you to seize this opportunity and enroll on this specialized MBA prorogramme which is the first one of its kind in Africa.
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