América Economía has once again included the ESADE Business School Full-Time MBA in its list of the top 10 MBA programmes worldwide. The programme’s excellent showing in the ranking – #9 in the world and #5 in Europe – was due, in particular, to its high scores in the areas of multicultural student experience (#4 worldwide) and alumni network influence throughout Latin American (#2 worldwide).

To assess the multicultural student experience of the MBAs included in the ranking, the magazine took into account exchange programmes, international study tours, career treks, and especially the number of foreign students in each programme (at ESADE, international students account for 96% of MBA participants). Regarding the second factor – network power – the magazine took into account the professional advancement of ESADE’s Latin American graduates and their participation in conferences and training projects with other companies in the region.

Josep Franch, Dean of ESADE Business School, commented that this recognition from América Economía highlights not only the international outlook of ESADE’s programmes but also “the school’s firm commitment to Latin America, where it offers the Multinational MBA in collaboration with Adolfo Ibáñez University”. Dr. Franch also noted that “30% of current students in the Full-Time MBA” are Latin American, adding: “This proportion reflects the fact that Latin America has historically looked to Spain for top-notch executive education, and that Latin American students are becoming increasingly interested in Spanish business schools while losing interest in English-speaking schools – especially those in the United States, where the visa process can be very lengthy.”

Recognition of ESADE’s innovation and the quality of its students

Another factor that helped to place ESADE’s Full-Time MBA in the global top 10 is student excellence, an indicator that accounts for one fourth of the final scores in the ranking. To measure this variable, the magazine assesses the rigour of the each school’s admission process and the students’ scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). This excellence is also recognised by international recruiters, given that 80% of participants in the programme are hired by firms in other countries.

Finally, innovation accounts for 10% of the overall scores in the ranking. América Economía took into account the impact of student, faculty and institutional initiatives, as well as their influence on the entrepreneurial ecosystem. With the aim of fostering both of these aspects, ESADE’s Full-Time MBA has implemented a new structure that divides its curriculum into three main areas: Awareness, Create & Innovate, and Transform. These areas encompass various new subjects, including Creativity, Technology & Digital Business, Negotiation Fundamentals, Business Analytics, Big Data & Decision Making, Innovation and Solving Business Problems.