The Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at UNSW Business School MBA and the Melbourne Business School (MBS) MBA have cemented their positions as the top two MBAs in Australia, according to the latest Financial Times (FT) rankings.
The Global MBA Ranking by FT is considered one of the most prestigious MBA ranking systems in the world and lists the world’s top 100 MBA programs evaluated on criteria including career outcomes, student satisfaction, faculty research and diversity.
In the 2018 rankings released overnight the AGSM MBA was ranked 63rd with MBS climbing 10 places to 66th.
This year’s global list was headed by Stanford Graduate School of Business, replacing Insead at the top after Insead claimed the number one rank in 2017. Wharton at the University of Pennsylvania held its 3rd place, followed by London Business School and Harvard.
AGSM Continues Streak
AGSM said the ranking reflected an uplift in employment outcomes for its graduates and recognition for the unique international experience it offers its MBA students.
UNSW Business School Dean Professor Chris Styles said AGSM had ranked among the top 100 since the FT rankings began, reflecting the legitimacy and long-term position of the AGSM.
“Alongside our very strong executive education program and our online MBA, both highly ranked by the Financial Times, this result confirms our innovative and flexible approach to delivering leadership and management education in Australia, in the region and in the world,” he said.
Recently-appointed AGSM Director and Deputy Dean of UNSW Business School, Professor Nick Wailes, said: “We have a great program and pride ourselves on the diversity of our cohort and the international experiences we offer our students. This is reflected in the FTs ranking of our international mobility and international education opportunities.
The 2018 ranking showed 93 per cent of AGSM graduates were employed within three months of completing the program, despite an increasingly diverse cohort which includes aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as those who follow traditional corporate careers. The figures also showed a 60 per cent uplift in salary for people four years after completing their MBA.
“Over a lifetime, these employment outcomes are significant and show the value of an MBA,” said Professor Wailes. “But it doesn’t fully capture the impact our graduates make across many fields – including not for profits and start-ups.”
Melbourne Business School MBA Up 10 Spots
Melbourne Business School jumped 10 places in the 2018 rankings, following an 11 place jump from 2016 to 2017. It was also named the best business school in the Asia-Pacific region by the Financial Times in November.
Dean of Melbourne Business School, Zeger Degraeve, said the achievement was the result of focussed work to put the needs of students at the heart of the School.
“Behind these numbers are tangible outcomes for Melbourne Business School students. This result is a fantastic acknowledgement that those outcomes are among the best in the world,” he said.
“In recent years we have increased our investment in faculty, Careers Services, Program Management and Alumni Relations to make sure Melbourne Business School alumni achieve their professional and personal goals as well as earning a world-class degree.
The FT Ranking
The FT Rankings have strict entry criteria and are based on a two-part survey; one that evaluates alumni salary and experience on the program (59% of ranking), and the other, information about the school such as calibre of faculty, strength in research and diversity of cohort. The alumni surveyed this year were the 2014 MBA cohort. For schools to be ranked, 20% of alumni must complete the survey.
Read the full FT 2018 Global MBA Rankings results here https://www.ft.com/content/33b22448-f7d1-11e7-a4c9-bbdefa4f210b
