Best in class: Executive MBA profiles

Brief profiles highlighting some of the schools topping categories in the FT Executive MBA Ranking 2021

Top EMBA — HEC Paris

HEC Paris climbed two places to first, mainly as a result of a high average alumni salary of $438,303, up 95 per cent three years after completion. Other factors include a rise in the alumni pre-EMBA work experience rank from 11th to fifth. Alumni praised the leadership training and lectures by professors with international experience. There are opportunities to take part in courses with elite military forces, which one surveyed alumnus described as “extraordinarily rich and moving”. Tatjana Mitevska

Highest salary — Kellogg/HKUST

The Kellogg/HKUST EMBA, taught in Hong Kong, lost the top spot but is joint second. As in previous years, the programme’s alumni have the highest average salary three years after completing their studies, at $508,964. The EMBA also received positive feedback for the career and networking opportunities it offered. “All the knowledge I learnt from the EMBA has increased my influence not only in my company but also the whole industry,” said one graduate. Leo Cremonezi

Top solo EMBA in Asia — Ceibs

In joint second place, Ceibs retains its position as the highest-ranking EMBA offered by a single school in Asia. Alumni have the second-highest average salary, at $487,372. “Our class has attracted some very interesting, entrepreneurial and ambitious minds from Africa, Europe and China. The skills and practical experience we have gained built up our professional expertise and helped propel my career in an exciting new direction,” said one. Leo Cremonezi

Top 25 schools

Here are some quick facts about the top schools in the ranking. By Wai Kwen Chan

Rank 5: Global learning
Trium has been top for international course experience for seven years in a row, with the most teaching hours conducted overseas.

FT Executive MBA ranking 2021 — top 100

Find out which schools are in our ranking of EMBA degrees. Learn how the table was compiled.

Rank 7: International mix
Spain’s Iese again has the most overseas students — at 91 per cent in a recent class.

Rank 8: On the rise
The joint EMBA-Global Americas & Europe, offered by Columbia and London Business School, is the highest riser in the top 25, jumping 12 places.

Rank 9: Was it worth it?
Graduates from Arizona State’s Carey School of Business are the most pleased with their EMBA, registering an overall satisfaction score of 9.82.

Rank 10: Double the money
Alumni from Shanghai Jiao Tong’s Antai received the biggest salary increase, at 110 per cent, from before starting the EMBA to now.

Rank 14: Peerless peers
Graduates at IE, in Spain, are ranked first for work experience, based on time spent in various jobs and overseas work, completed before their EMBA.

Rank 19: Careering ahead
CUHK Business School, in Hong Kong, ranks top for alumni career progress, as measured by changes in seniority of alumni now versus before their EMBA.

Rank 24: Teamwork
The Kellogg/WHU Beisheim EMBA, taught in Germany, is one of six joint degrees in the top 25. A total of 13 joint programmes appear in the top 100.

Rank 25: Back again
Cambridge Judge, in the UK, makes the biggest leap of schools returning to the top 25: six places.

International experience — Trium: HEC Paris/LSE/NYU: Stern

The joint EMBA has been top for the most teaching hours overseas for several years. It is second for work experience — measuring years in employment and time working abroad before study. The course is joint top for aims achieved — the extent to which alumni fulfilled their reasons for doing an EMBA. One graduate said the most effective aspect was the development of leadership self-awareness. Leo Cremonezi

Top for salary increase — Shanghai Jiao Tong University: Antai

For the second year running, Antai alumni have the greatest increase in average salary three years after their EMBA. This time it is 110 per cent and 12 percentage points more than the second-ranked school in the category. Alumni praised the professionalism of the course, as well as classmates’ diversity of careers. The school is third for average salary, at $486,808 three years after completion. Sam Stephens

Biggest riser — Neoma Business School

The French school Neoma rose furthest, climbing 16 places to joint 70th. Its EMBA is taught in France, China and Iran. The improvement is a result of better alumni career progress and their level of pre-EMBA work experience. The school’s research rank also rose, a category based on the volume of research published in 50 selected journals. Alumni commended the school on its ability to improve their confidence and networks. Sam Stephens

Highest new entrant — Moscow School of Management Skolkovo

The highest new entrant is Russia’s Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, at 58. The school has a high international course experience rank (37th), based on the number of teaching hours overseas. Alumni have gone on to earn high salaries, with its average of $394,252 in the top 10 of all ranked schools. Surveyed graduates reported Skolkovo offers high-quality teaching that helps students progress in their career. Sam Stephens

Back in the top 10 — EMBA-Global: Columbia/London Business School

The EMBA from Columbia, in New York, and LBS, returns to the top 10 in eighth place. Alumni praised good teaching from a variety of experts. One alumnus said it had “given me the confidence to network with people I would normally consider out of my reach and equipped me with an understanding of generalist management topics that I would otherwise not learn through the course of my career”. Wai Kwen Chan