In this year’s edition of the Global Masters in Management Ranking issued by the Financial Times, the renowned business newspaper, WU’s English-taught Master’s Program in International Management/CEMS (The Global Alliance in Management Education) moves up four notches, coming in at 24th place out of 100 programs ranked. In particular, WU has received excellent marks for its high alumni satisfaction rates and good performance with regard to diversity and internationality.

The annual FT Global Masters in Management Ranking is issued by the UK-based Financial Times. It ranks master’s degree programs in management based on 19 criteria that are assessed based on data provided by the universities (44%) and surveys of alumni who completed the respective programs three years ago (56%).

Inclusion in the FT ranking is a success in itself

WU has a consistent track record of good results in this ranking with the Master’s Program in International Management/CEMS. It offers students an internationally renowned education that allows them to spend a semester abroad at respected international partner universities and make contact with top companies during their studies as part of an international internship. WU Rector Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger says, “Many universities work hard to be included in the annual Financial Times ranking, but only 100 worldwide achieve this goal. Once again, WU has every reason to be proud of its performance in this year’s ranking.”

International experience and attractive career prospects

The ranking is based on 19 categories in four areas: alumni career progress, diversity (percentages of female and international students and personnel), international experience, and – new this year – sustainability. In detail, the results show, for example, that 95% of WU alumni find a job within three months of graduating, and that they are hired for jobs that pay top salaries.  All in all, the results show that WU alumni are highly satisfied with WU’s degree programs and the experiences gained during their studies. In this category, WU comes in at 3rd place in the ranking. Following a temporary switch to virtual and hybrid student exchange formats made necessary by the COVID-19 pandemic, WU was quick to resume physical, on-site student mobility programs, which has also had a positive impact on the ranking results.  “Academic rankings and our universities’ performance in these rankings often meet with criticism in Austria. What the critics tend to overlook, however, is that we’re competing with the best international universities, with large budgets and excellent student-teacher ratios. To maintain this strong performance, we need a financial commitment from the government to provide sufficient funding. Cutting university budgets now would be highly counterproductive,” says Rector Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger.

WU is the only Austrian university ranked

Coming in at 24th place out of 100 universities listed in the 2023 ranking, WU is in the same league as prestigious institutions such as Germany’s University of Mannheim (21st place) and UK’s Warwick Business School (28th place). WU Is the only Austrian university represented in the ranking and ranks fifth in the German-speaking area. This year, HEC Paris for the first time takes the top spot in the ranking, pushing Switzerland’s University of St. Gallen to number two after 13 years at the top. Third place goes to London Business School this year.

To view the complete ranking, please click here.