5 keys to understanding MBA and Executive MBA rankings

3rd best MBA in France according to the Financial Times, 20th best EMBA in the world for The Economist… Every year, EDHEC’s Global MBA and Executive MBA programmes are featured in rankings published by renowned organizations. But how should we read those rankings? What do they really tell us about a programme? Here are a few key points to keep in mind.

Three major rankings

Among all rankings published in the world every year, those published by the prestigious British newspaper The Financial Times, the world-renowned magazine The Economist and the specialists of world-class university rankings at QS stand out for their quality. Every year, through a thorough analysis of each school and of alumni questionnaires, they help candidates make their decision by comparing MBAs and EMBAs in France, Europe and the world.

Different rankings, different scores

Although most rankings generally look into the same subjects, such as employability or diversity, each one has its own "recipe" to compute a score for each programme. Understanding those differences is useful in making an informed decision: for instance, "salary evolution" accounts for 40% of an MBA’s global grade in the Financial Times ranking, while it accounts for only 20% of the grade in The Economist ranking to allow for other criteria such as “networking potential” to hold more weight.

Return on investment: a key criterion

Because undertaking an MBA is a serious investment, its impact on one’s career must be considered carefully. For this reason, the post-MBA salary increase is taken into account in all rankings, with some also measuring short-term and long-term return on investment. In that respect, EDHEC came in 4th in "Value for Money" in the Financial Times ranking.

Focus on diversity

Since it allows participants to learn from their classmates’ experience and point of view, diversity is featured in every ranking as a downright strength for an MBA. With a 93% score, EDHEC’s Global MBA is currently the world’s 2nd best MBA for Diversity in the QS ranking, in which 10% of the score accounts for international and gender diversity in the student body and the faculty.

Beyond rankings…

Although rankings are an excellent way to compare MBAs, other criteria such as a school’s international accreditation, the type and level of its diploma, the quality of the faculty, the format of the programmes, their content and their teaching philosophy can be just as important. To obtain the best information and advice, there is no better way than directly interacting with the school staff, current participants and Alumni.

To find out more about the Global MBA and the Executive MBA and make a decision that makes sense for you and your career, do not hesitate to reach out to EDHEC's teams!

EDHEC’s Global MBA and EMBA in 2018 international rankings
Global MBA:

• The Economist: 3rd best MBA in France, 7th best in Europe, 34th best in the world.
• Financial Times: 3rd best MBA in France, 75th best in the world, 4th best in the world in terms of "Value for Money".
• QS Ranking: 15th MBA in Europe, 35th in the world, 2nd in the world for "Diversity".

EMBA:

• The Economist: 20th best EMBA in the world, top-10 best MBA in Europe.
• Financial Times: 80th best EMBA in the world.
• QS Ranking: 26th best EMBA in Europe.