Best Business Schools in Europe

Best Business Schools in Europe

If you are pursuing a business education, one factor to consider is how well the school is ranked compared to other business schools. In late 2021, the Financial Times released its ranking of business schools in Europe for the 2021/22 year.

The rank and performance are determined by the range and quality of each school’s different programs, compared to all other European business study programs. Some of the newer parameters also considered are the MBA rankings, the faculty make-up, and the expected starting salaries.

Whilst rankings can play an important part in your choice of institution, it is also crucial that you feel that you would be a good fit for your chosen business school.

As well as the general business rankings, we also cover institution rankings for specific award types. For business, these include MBA programmes, Executive MBA programmes, and Master in Management (MiM) programmes. To view what courses are available in Europe, see below:

• MBA in Europe
• EMBA in Europe
• Master in Management in Europe

Listed below are the top ten best business schools in Europe:

=10 – IMD Business School

The International Institute for Management and Development (IMD) is a business school in Lausanne, Switzerland. Not associated to a university, IMD has a focus in postgraduate and executive education. As well as being well ranked generally, IMD is also ranked at #8 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #1 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes. IMD Business School offers standard business courses, as well as more unique courses. The selection of courses on offer will allow you to gain a tailored education, meaning you graduate with applicable skills and knowledge.

=10 – EDHEC Business School

EDHEC Business School has campuses located in Lille, Nice, Paris, London and Singapore. It boasts direct connections to the business world and has a great reputation for research excellence. As well as being generally highly regarded and well ranked within business, EDHEC is ranked at #20 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #9 in Europe for their Master in Management programmes. EDHEC Business School prides themselves on helping their graduates make a positive impact on the business world for future generations.

9 – University of Oxford: Saïd

Saïd Business School is the arm of the University of Oxford that provides programmes in business, management, and finance. Having been established as its modern form in 1996, Saïd is relatively young compared to other European schools. This contemporary outlook has allowed the school to build a reputation for entrepreneurial and forward thinking. As well as being well ranked generally within business, they also rank at #7 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #2 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes. Saïd Business School offers a variety of courses at undergraduate, postgraduate taught/research, and executive level, providing education no matter what stage you are at in your career.

8 – ESSEC Business School

ESSEC Business School is a business specific higher education institution located in France. There are also campuses in Singapore and Morocco. The French branch of ESSEC is the oldest of all three campuses, established in 1907. Since then, ESSEC and its academic staff have focused on training the new generations of business leaders, ensuring that they are providing students with a holistic perspective of the business world. ESSEC also rank well for their Executive MBA, and are ranked at #6 in Europe for their Master in Management (MiM) programme. The business school offers a range of courses across all levels, with a focus on internationalisation.

7 – European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) Berlin

Founded in 2002 by 25 global companies and institutions, ESMT Berlin provides postgraduate business degrees with an international perspective. As well as being ranked well in the general business rankings, ESMT Berlin is also ranked #22 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #5 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes. Offering a wide range of courses at all levels, ESMT caters for students at all levels.

6 – University of St. Gallen

The University of St. Gallen, sometimes also referred to as HSG, is a research university located in Switzerland. It specialises in business administration, economics, law, and international affairs. Established in 1898, HSG prides itself on being consistently considered one of Europe’s best business schools. As well as being ranked well generally for business, they also perform well for their specific courses. They are ranked #18 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #1 in Europe for their Master in Management (MiM) programmes. Offering courses across all levels, HSG caters for all stages of business education.

5 – Università Bocconi, SDA Bocconi School of Management

SDA Bocconi School of Management is the graduate business school of Università Bocconi. Founded in 1971, SDA has been consistently regarded as one of the most prestigious business schools in Europe. SDA Bocconi is also ranked well in the programme specific lists. They are ranked #5 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #16 in Europe for their Master in Management (MiM) programmes. It specialises in postgraduate, doctoral and executive education programmes, including some customisable and tailored programmes.

4 – IESE Business School

IESE is the graduate business school associated with the University of Navarra. Founded in 1958 in Barcelona, IESE now has 5 campuses across the world, located in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, New York and São Paulo. The business school is consistently considered one of the most diverse business schools in the world. IESE also ranks well for their programmes, as well as generally in the business discipline. They are ranked #3 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #6 for their Executive Education programmes. Offering postgraduate and executive education courses, IESE caters for you at all stages of your career.

3 – INSEAD Business School

INSEAD is a graduate business school located in Fontainebleau, France. Since it was established in 1957, two other campuses have been created, with one in Singapore, and one in Abu Dhabi. INSEAD also ranks very well for their specific courses. They are ranked #1 in Europe for their MBA programmes, and #3 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes. The business school offers courses at postgraduate level, as well as executive education programmes, and customisable courses.

2 – London Business School

London Business School (LBS) is a college of the University of London. It was founded in 1964, and specialises in postgraduate courses and executive education. It has been ranked as the #1 business school in Europe 5 years in a row by the Financial Times. As well as ranking well for business in general, LBS also performs well in the rankings for specific programmes. They are ranked #2 in Europe for their MBA programmes, #11 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes, and #4 in Europe for their Master in Management (MiM) programmes.

1 – HEC Paris

HEC Paris is a higher education business school located in France. Established in 1881, it is consistently ranked as the best business school in France, and one of the best in Europe. HEC alumni tend to be very successful in their business pursuits, with several famous names having attended the school. As well as this, they also rank well for their individual programmes. They are ranked #1 for their Executive MBA programmes, #4 in Europe for their MBA programmes, #4 in Europe for their Executive Education programmes, and #2 in Europe for their Master in Management (MiM) programmes. HEC specialises in postgraduate and executive education courses.

SEE ALSO: Top 8 things to look for in a Business School

The top ten business schools in Europe as listed above can all provide you with a springboard to success in the business world, but there are many more business schools who can provide a pioneering business education. Browse our MBA, EMBA, and Master in Management course directories to find business courses from around the world including Australia, UK and Europe.