The Financial Times published its list of the top schools with open programs for executive education in the world. For those of you who don’t know, executive education has to do with academic programs offered by business schools. In most of the cases, these educational programs do not grant students a degree. However, they do certify the students’ executive qualifications. Executive education can be either customized or open. Customized programs are created for companies that want to improve the qualifications of some of their employees. Open programs, on the other hand, are available for everyone.
The ranking is based on other annual rating reports on business schools. The programs in the research include Master in Marketing, MBA, Master in Finance, EMBA and non-degree executive courses. The Financial Times list was based on a number of different important factors among which are value for money and average salary after graduation.
Like the previous two years, the ranking is dominated by business schools in the US. Similar to 2012, five of the top ten schools are located in the States. Now let’s take a look at the top-achievers this year.
- IMD, Switzerland – The International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland takes the first position for the second consecutive time. This year the institute received high ratings for the course design, preparation and the teaching materials it offers. What is interesting about IMD is that it has a high percentage of female and international participants in its programs.
- Iese Business School, Spain – This Spanish school successfully rose with two positions on the list compared to 2012. Iese Business School stands out in categories like New skills and learning, Quality of participants and Repeat business and growth. Only its facilities are marking a slight fall this year.
- Thunderbird School of Global Management, US – The highest rated US business school for 2013 is the Thunderbird School of Global Management. This institute has been occupying the third spot since 2011 and it seems that it has no intentions to leave it. Thunderbird School managed to jump with the impressive 47 positions in the category Repeat business and growth, landing on the third place.
- Harvard Business School, US – According to the Financial Times, Harvard Business School works with the best teaching methods and materials for executive programs in the world. In addition, the met personal and professional expectations for the executive course in the school are among the best this year.
- University of Chicago: Booth, US/UK/Singapore – Just two years ago, this university was on the brink of dropping out of the top ten on this ranking. However, in 2013 it takes the 5th place thanks to its successful partnerships with other business schools, as well as the quality of its resources and its learning environment.
- Instead, France/Singapore/UAE – Instead has campuses all over the world, including in key locations like Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Fontainebleau. That is mainly why the school is rated high in terms of international location. The growth of revenues and the percentage of repeat business have fallen with nearly 20 spots over the course of one year.
- HEC Paris, France – HEC Paris has one of the most impressive performances on this year’s chart. This school of management did not register a decrease in any of the categories in the research. Moreover, it now takes the thirds place in the level of follow-up and it is 7th in preparation of its students.
- Stanford Graduate School of Business, US – This year, Stanford makes a return on the ranking after dropping to the 11th position in 2012. Today, it holds the first places in quality of food and accommodation, as well as in quality of participants.
- Esade Business School, Spain – Nearly 50,000 people from all over the world have graduated Esade. The school has a long-standing reputation in academic excellence and this year it makes its way to the top 10 for the first time. It excels in categories like Faculty diversity and Partner schools.
- University of Michigan: Ross, US – Even though the University of Michigan debuted on the ranking last year, it is now among the 10 best business schools for executive education. The quality of the food and accommodation it offers is rated at the 6th position in the world. In addition, it has the 4th best international location on the globe.
Many other business schools based in Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, the UK and Canada also managed to find a place among the first 50 institutes for executive education in 2013.
