Financial Times: Barcelona-based IESE and ESADE among world’s top 10 business schools

Barcelona (ACN).- The Barcelona-based business schools IESE and ESADE have been ranked among the 10 best business schools in the world according to the Executive Education Ranking 2015 by the ‘Financial Times’ issued on Monday. For the 17^th year, the British newspaper rated the best 85 customised programmes (tailor-made for corporate customers) and the top 75 open programmes (available to all working managers) in the world. With regard to the customised programme ranking, IESE came top worldwide while ESADE (part of the Ramon Llull University) is ranked 12^th. As for the classification of the open programmes for executives, IESE ranked 3^rd globally while ESADE was 7^th. Among the top 100 educational institutions of the ranking, one can find another Catalan business school as well: Barcelona’s EADA is in 61^st position for its customised programmes, and in 56^th for the open ones.

IESE best in the world for customised programmes and 3^rd for open courses

IESE has improved since last year both with regard to the executive customised and open programmes' ranking. The Catalan business school topped the combined ranking of executive short courses, jumping from 3^rd position and ousting HEC Paris. IESE is rewarded for performing consistently well across all 15 criteria of the ranking. While the school ranked first only for faculty diversity, it is in the top 10 for all the remaining criteria. In particular, it came 2^nd for preparation and 3^rd for programme design and value for money.

Also with regard to the open courses' ranking, IESE performed very well, going from being the 6^th best business school in the world to being the 3^rd best. In particular, it stood out in three criteria: international location (as its courses are taught in Barcelona, Madrid, New York, Munich and Sao Paulo), partner schools (such as Harvard, Wharton and CEIBS) and faculty diversity.

The IESE centre is based in Barcelona but linked to the University of Navarra. It has provided executive courses to international companies such as: Oracle, The European Network of Transmission System Operators, Airbus, L'Oreal, Santander, BBVA, Telefonica and Danone, among others.

It has over 100 full-time professors and around 70 external collaborators from almost 30 countries with PhDs from the top business schools in the world. IESE’s alumni are an international community of more than 40,000 business and non-profit professionals and entrepreneurs spanning over 100 countries.

ESADE ranked 7^th for open programmes and 12^th for customised programmes

ESADE came 7^th worldwide in the open programmes for executives ranking, gaining 2 positions in comparison to last year. The Catalan business school did particularly well according to the following criteria: partner schools, follow-up, and repeat business and growth. However, it ranked 12^th with regard to its customised programmes, losing 6 positions in comparison to 2014.

ESADE is an international academic institution with over fifty years of history. It has both a Law School and a Business School, and has about 48,500 alumni around the world. Over the years, ESADE has forged deep-rooted ties with the business, economic and social sectors as a platform for education and innovation, as a benchmark research centre and as a stage for reflection and dialogue.

EADA is 61^st for customised programmes and 56^th for open programmes     

Despite not making the top 10 best business schools worldwide, EADA – based in downtown Barcelona – came a respectable 61^st in the FT ranking for customised programmes and 56^th in the open programmes ranking.

Founded in 1957, EADA was one of the first Spanish institutions to provide training programmes that specifically targeted the business world. It has over 120,000 alumni from over 40 countries all across the world.