Doctoral Programs
Since 2018, the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute (ESAMI) is offering doctoral programs of the Swiss School of Management in Africa. Programs are partially funded through attractive scholarship programs.
Candidates can opt for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. The programs make use of distance learning, and are based on part-time studies. Our doctoral programs have three parts: coursework (the equivalent of 6 months, offered in continuous workshops), research lab (data collection and analysis, approximately 2 years), and write-up and defense (6 months).
Webinars and workshops are delivered monthly through life-streams, and recordings are made available via our Learning Management System (LMS). Candidates can access the EBSCO e-Library, for journal articles, e-books, data and much more. Internationally experienced and dedicated supervisors support the candidates on their academic journeys. For further and detailed information, please follow the frequently asked questions:
Frequently Asked Questions:
DBA or PhD?
The main difference between DBA and PhD is the nature of the research. A DBA entails applied research, resulting in policy recommendations, whereas PhD research should contribute to knowledge and theory building. This distinction is not clearcut: DBA research will shed light on the usefulness of existing theories, and PhD research in the domains of economics and business administration often has practical implications.
From a practical perspective, the requirements for PhD especially in terms of literature review and methodology, are higher. The nature of DBA research implies that the focus can be on single cases, like specific problems within organizations. Swiss School of Management’s DBA assumes two years of full-time study, compared to three years for PhD.
Although the DBA and PhD degree hardly differ in academic rigor, some countries or organizations prefer one over the other. The PhD-degree is widely accepted, especially by universities and research institutes. In some countries, companies and employers prefer DBA degrees to PhD.
Program Characteristics (Content and Structure)
Doctoral programs are characterized by the following features:
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The DBA program is intended to last 4 semesters (24 months), the PhD has a duration of 6 semesters (36 months). These durations assume fulltime studies. The normal duration of our parttime programs in Africa are 3 years for DBA, and 3-4 years for PhD. Extensions are possible on request. Enrolments are accepted throughout the year.
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The programs are divided into three phases (coursework; research lab; and thesis write-up) and are elaborated and visualized in SSM´s 10-step approach.
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Coursework consists of research related modules: research methods; literature review; quantitative methods and techniques; qualitative methods and techniques; research tools and software; and skills (academic writing, and presenting).
Rather than concentrating all coursework in the first phase of the program, candidates can participate in continuous workshops/webinars.
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The workshops are backed up by continuously updated online study materials.
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DBA and PhD are delivered via distance learning. Lectures will be delivered through life-streams via video platforms (webinars/workshops) and lecture recordings are made available via access to Learning Management System (LMS).
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Access to advanced tools and expert knowledge will be given.
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Doctoral candidates will be supported by internationally experienced faculty and supervisors.
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Doctoral candidates are requested to submit a doctoral thesis, which fulfils the criteria of independent research following acknowledged standards of empirical research. Doctoral candidates will defend their thesis through a summarising presentation (Viva Voce).
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Lifelong Learning and Development, and Research Career: even after graduation, candidates are welcome to join our webinars and access online study materials, as members of our research community.
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SSM´s doctoral programs are aligned to international standards of Higher Education and fulfil the criteria of the process of Harmonization of Higher Education in Europe (Bologna).
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The DBA and PhD are accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) and are internationally recognized. The IACBE is recognized by US-Department of Education through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
How to apply for the Doctoral Program?
To apply for the doctoral program (DBA or PhD), please fill in the online application form template which is available on ESAMI website (https://esami-africa.org/dba-intake). Alternatively, you can get the application form on request from the Office of Admissions (info@ssmresearch.com). The application form will ask you to provide biographical and academic information, and to detail your educational and extracurricular activities. Information must be complete with exact dates given on each entry. The application documents are used to assess whether an applicant is eligible for the doctoral program. Please fill in the form carefully!
You will be asked to submit the following documents:
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Application form for doctoral programs (filled in and signed)
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Curriculum vitae (including current photograph)
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Passport or ID-card (soft-copy)
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Educational documents (degrees, certificates, diplomas, transcripts)
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Motivation letter, and initial research proposal (5-10 pages: research objective(s), brief review of literature, proposed methodology or research approach).
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Application form for scholarship program.
All Documents have to be submitted in electronic version (PDF or jpg-format) to the Office of Admissions or via website-form which includes an up-load function. Swiss School of Management will notify you of the results of your application. In the case of acknowledgement, applicants receive a provisional letter of acceptance.
Which programs are scholarship-funded?
Partial scholarships are available for all doctoral programs at Swiss School of Management which are conducted in partnership with ESAMI, and related to a specific topic of the research. There are long-term funding programs (standard scholarships) and there are limited scholarships that are tendered once.
Standard Scholarships – tendered yearly until 2030
Limited Scholarships – tendered in 2023 only
Regular DBA/PhD partial funded by RTA 3.0 Scholarship program
 The Roundtable Africa (RTA) scholarship applies to any doctoral research on topics relevant to the social and economic development of countries, industries, and organizations in Africa. Candidates in the ESAMI/SSM programs, can apply for a partial scholarship if their projects are expected to generate publishable insights into the social and economic development of the region.
The overarching goal of RTA 3.0 is to develop initiatives for sustainable business in Africa. Achieving this goal is supported by academic and professional research, coordinated by Swiss School of Management Research Center.
The following non-exhaustive list of research areas, are key aspects of social and economic development:
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Competitiveness
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Innovation
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Logistics
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High-Performance Organizations (HPO)
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Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs)
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Entrepreneurship & Social and Economic Development.
Initial research proposals on other research topics will be evaluated by the scholarship committee on individual basis.
Tuition Fee and Scholarship awards by RTA 3.0 Scholarship Program
The regular tuition fee for doctoral programs at Swiss School of Management International is USD 30,000. The following net reduction in tuition fees applies to doctoral students admitted to SSM´s partnership program with ESAMI:
Doctor of Business Administration
Applied Research - Relevant for Africa
Output: Policy Recommendations (for countries or organizations)
Doctor of Philosophy
Fundamental Research - Relevant for Africa
Output: new or refined theories
Special Scholarship for Research in Competitiveness & Innovation in 2023
 Swiss School of Management has launched a new scholarship program (C&I 1.0) for the academic year 2023 to encourage African researchers to contribute to the research agendas of ESAMI and SSM in the specific domain of Competitiveness & Innovation.
For this purpose, the ESAMI recently started offering the SSM Doctor of Business Administration and PhD in Competitiveness & Innovation (C&I). Candidates admitted to this DBA/PhD program can apply not only for RTA 3.0 scholarship, but also for Competitiveness & Innovation Fund (C&I 1.0).
Candidates for the program on Competitiveness & Innovation are allowed to combine both scholarships. The research streams of Competitiveness & Innovation are explained in detail, in a separate section (=> read more here)
Tuition Fee and Scholarship awards for the specialized Doctorates in Competitiveness & Innovation
The regular tuition fee for international doctoral programs at Swiss School of Management International is USD 30,000. The following net reduction in tuition fees applies to doctoral students admitted to SSM´s specific partnership program with ESAMI:
Doctor of Business Administration
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RTA.3.0 Scholarship Program grants a reduction up to USD 10,000 net tuition fee for admitted students of the DBA in Competitiveness & Innovation.
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C&I 1.0 Scholarship Program grants a reduction up to USD 7,100 net tuition fee for admitted students of the DBA in Competitiveness & Innovation.
Doctor of Philosophy
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RTA.3.0 Scholarship Program grants a reduction up to USD 8,000 net tuition fee for admitted students of the PhD in Competitiveness & Innovation.
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C&I 1.0 Scholarship Program grants a reduction up to USD 7,100 net tuition fee for admitted students of the PhD in Competitiveness & Innovation.
The following graphic provides you once again a brief overview of funded program opportunities:
How to apply for a scholarship program?
To apply for scholarship, you first have to fill in the application form for the respective program of studies, and secondly the scholarship application form.
Both application form templates are available on ESAMI website (https://esami-africa.org/dba-intake).
Alternatively, the Office of Admissions will provide you the Application Forms on request (info@ssmresearch.com).
Prior to filling any scholarship form, you should know every bit of information available about it. Go through the respective program and scholarship information carefully and make a list of necessary documents and information you require to apply.
A correctly completed program application form and scholarship application form are a primary requirement for scholarship eligibility. Therefore, it is important to know how to apply for a scholarship before starting the application.
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Application Form – Program of Studies
The application form for the doctoral program will ask you to provide biographical and academic information, to detail your educational and extracurricular activities. In addition to this, the form will ask you how to finance the program.
Mark the option “I would like to apply for scholarship”.
The form will ask you for which scholarhip(s) you would like to apply. Mark the scholarship program(s) you opt for.
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Application Form – Scholarship
The scholarship application form will ask you for which program of study you would like to apply for and will ask you for reasons why you are applying for funding.
The scholarship providers want to know why they should fund you rather than any other applicant, so use your motivation letter or initial research proposal as a chance to support your request – mention your academic achievements, your ambitions and your interests and how they relate to the program you are applying for.
Please fill in both forms carefully, so that your application can be processed as soon as possible. The application forms and all required documents shall be submitted in electronic version (PDF or jpg-Format) to the Office of Admissions (info@ssmresearch.com).
The application documents are used to assess whether an applicant is eligible for the doctoral program. Scholarship applications are reviewed by committees. Selection is based on subject-related criteria.
Swiss School of Management will notify you of the results of your application.
For more information: robert.goedegebuure@ssm.swiss, benard@esami-africa.org, or marketing@esami-africa.org
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