Top business schools in Asia-Pacific countries

Economies in East –Asia growing by 4.6 percent in 2023, up from 3.9 percent in 2022 according to the International Monetary Fund.  

This economic prosperity has benefited business schools greatly with students looking to the region’s schools to help them progress in their careers and learn about business and finance.  

The QS Global MBA Rankings 2024 reveal the best business schools across Asia and Oceania. We have compiled a list of the top 10 in this region, covering study destinations such as Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India and Singapore. 

The MBA rankings have been calculated using five indicators of quality: diversity, thought leadership, employability, entrepreneurship & alumni outcomes and return on investment. For more information about the methodology behind these rankings, see the methodology page. 

Read on as we discover the top 10 business schools in the Asia-Pacific region. 

10. Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

Situated in Bangalore, a city commonly referred to as ‘India’s Silicon Valley’, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore is ranked 10th in the region. As the third Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to be established, after those in Ahmedabad and Calcutta, the school boasts a campus of 100 acres, all stone architecture, and landscaped gardens. 

IIM Bangalore earns a very high score for return on investment. The MBA course can be considered affordable in comparison to others across the world in places such as Europe and North America and leads to a very profitable career. On average, students have around two years of professional experience.

9. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Next on the list is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) which ranked ninth in the region. It aims to give MBA students as many practical skills as possible through their orientation programme, which students complete before the course officially begins. This includes leadership and skills workshops on topics such as Python programming and data analysis. 

It earns its highest score in thought leadership and produces forward thinking graduates who are able to thrive in the world of business. In the 2023 intake, the average age of students is 29 with an average of six years of work experience.  

41 percent of students in this cohort are women and 87 percent are not local to Hong Kong, coming from 70 different countries. 

8. Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University

Ranked eighth this year is the Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University. The school was established in 2000 by local businessman and philanthropist Lee Kong Chian, whom the school was named after.  

It boasts a skilled and diverse faculty who graduated from universities all over the world and offers a variety of programmes including an MBA. 

The indicators where Lee Kong Chian School scored the best were thought leadership and return on investment. When calculating the average of the MBA cohorts from 2018 to 2021, the average age of a student was 30 with an average of almost six years of work experience. Around 40 percent of students were women and 63 percent were international students. 

7. CEIBS

Next on our list is China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), ranked seventh in the region. CEIBS aims to shape the next generation of global business leaders by focusing on China’s business economy and the global market to give students a dynamic and holistic view of the subject and how it differs from place to place. 

CEIBS earns its highest scores for return on investment as well as entrepreneurship & alumni outcomes. There were 122 students enrolled in the 2024-2025 intake: 49 percent of these were women and on average students had just over five years of work experience and a GMAT score of 685. 

6. University of Hong Kong

Sixth on our list is the University of Hong Kong which also ranks 35th globally in the MBA rankings. Internationalisation is at the forefront of the teachings at University of Hong Kong. It attracts students from all over the world and conducts world-leading research to advance business practices. 

University of Hong Kong excels in the return on investment and thought leadership indicators, making it a great choice for students who want a course that will lead to a career in business innovation.  

In the class of 2023-2024, 99 students were enrolled on the full-time MBA programme. The age of these students varied between 24 and 45 and each had between two and 23 years of professional work experience. 93 percent were international students from 22 different countries including Japan, India, and Canada. 

5. Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Fifth on our list is Nanyang Technological University Singapore (NTU). NTU focuses on student mental agility, character, and competence to produce business leaders who will advance the economy of Singapore, Asia, and the wider world. Their MBA programme offers students a robust body of academic information as well as real world skills that will benefit them in the world of work. 

NTU scores most highly for thought leadership, highlighting its focus on innovation and the impact its graduates have on the world of business.

4. Australian Graduate School of Management

Fourth is the Australian Graduate School of Management at University of New South Wales. The school offers world-class MBA programmes and aims to ensure that its graduates are adaptable and able to keep up in an ever-evolving business landscape. The MBA course is taught by internationally renowned academics with backgrounds in both corporate and government business institutions. 

The school receives almost perfect scores for both diversity and thought leadership, suggesting that it fosters a collaborative environment where students from a variety of backgrounds can share knowledge and work together. 

3. Melbourne Business School

The first entrant to our top three is Melbourne Business School: the top-ranking business school in Australia. Melbourne Business School fosters a community of collaboration by centring its MBA programme on real world business practice, ensuring that students have the right skills and attitude to be able to solve problems as they arise naturally. The business community at the school, including the board of directors, has top CEOs and academics among its members. 

The school receives its highest score in the thought leadership indicator, revealing the MBA courses’ focus on innovation. Students are encouraged to think creatively and independently throughout the programme and, as a result, the school is able to produce business leaders who go on to have promising careers in a variety of industries. 

2. Tsinghua University

In second is Tsinghua University which also ranked within the top 30 worldwide for its MBA programme. The university was originally established in 1911 with the School of Economics and Management being established in 1997 as one of six business schools in mainland China. Dean Chong-en Bai describes the MBA programme as ‘your gateway to the best of China’. Students are able to learn about the country’s business practices as well as global practices and cross-cultural communication. 

The school earns a nearly perfect score in thought leadership as well as return on investment, suggesting that an MBA at Tsinghua is a valuable investment for those who intend to be at the forefront of business innovation.  

On average, they have an annual intake of 80 students with an average age of 28-30 and an average four-five years of work experience. Around 40 percent of their cohorts are made up of international students. 

1. National University of Singapore

At the top of our list of the best business schools in the Asia-Pacific region is the National University of Singapore (NUS). The school encourages students to learn about Singapore’s vibrant culture and heritage while studying the core principles of successful business practice. NUS has a global business outlook which encourages students to learn about a variety of industries and embark on a successful international career after graduation. 

The school scores highly across all indicators but, most notably, thought leadership and employability. In a typical MBA cohort, there are 120 students with an average age of 29 and an average of 6 years of work experience from around 25 different industries. The students’ average GMAT score is 670. 

Image credit: Business Week; NUS; Trilok Rangan - Bangalore; BiMBA; UNSW; IIM Flickr