London Business School Tops European MBA Ranking

For over a decade, INSEAD has held on to the top spot in our European MBA ranking,with London Business School a very close second. However, the 2014/15 iteration of the rankings has seen the two trade places, with London Business School edging out its regional rival to take the top spot. The difference, as ever, is a hair’s breadth, with London Business School’s marginally better academic score (a new indicator added this year, accounting for 15% of the final ranking) allowing it to lay claim to European primacy for this year at least.

We spoke to Erica Hensens, director of the school’s MBA program, to find out why she thinks London Business School has been able to reach the pinnacle of the European MBA ranking this year.

London Business School has edged out as INSEAD as the top school in Europe in our rankings for the first time in over a decade thanks to a marginally higher reputation with academics – to what do you think this can be credited? What are some examples of really groundbreaking research the school has produced in the past couple of years?

We are delighted that the work of our faculty has been recognized in this way. We are very proud of our academic excellence which is underpinned by a strong research foundation. Our faculty, made up of over 30 nationalities, works at the forefront of innovative business thinking and the creation of world-class research that explores the key practical and academic issues facing the business world.

London Business School is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top tier schools for research and our Research Support Team provides a world-class research infrastructure with specialist advice and guidance to support this success and the School provides an environment that enables our faculty to reach their full potential.

The four research centers and institutes based at the school are particular examples of success in this area. (Aditya Birla India Centre, Centre for Corporate Governance, Coller Institute of Private Equity and the Deloitte Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.)

Recent research examples include Professor Alex Edman’s work on the factors that affect our financial markets and Professor Ralph Koijen’s work on the shadow insurance industry in the US, alongside regular publication of impactful research. Our faculty members have been recognized in various ways for their work.  In 2014 Professor Julian Birkinshaw was recently listed as one of the world’s most influential scientific minds by Thomson Reuters, and Professor Lynda Gratton received the World Federation of People Management Associations George Petitpas Award.

What is it that really makes the London Business School MBA unique?

The flexibility of the length of our program and the diversity of our student body are two factors that demonstrate the uniqueness of our MBA program. Students can manage their curriculum to suit their academic and career needs, completing the course in 15, 18 or 21 months, as well as undertaking a summer internship. In order to facilitate this, the structure of our curriculum and career services support is unique among MBAs. With a student body of 411 in our most recent intake, we are proud that over 60 countries from around the world are represented.

Have any major changes been made to way things are done at London Business School in the recent past?

London Business School supports a range of innovations on a regular basis, and our programs are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they stay at the forefront of education. Our Masters in Management team recently announced a newly developed Global Masters in Management which will see students spending one year in London and one year in Shanghai at Fudan School of Management.

What changes do you have planned in the future to keep London Business School ahead of the pack?

Arguably the most notable change will be when we move into our new premises at the historic Marylebone Town Hall. This building is currently undergoing redevelopment and it will provide our community with a world-class learning environment.

Beyond the basics, for what sort of people do you look for your full-time MBA cohort? What are their particular qualities?

The London Business School MBA program is designed to support students who want to make a significant change in their career, be this through accelerating their current journey or moving industry or starting their own business. We look for students who will fit into a diverse, multinational class and that demonstrate their own high-potential. We want the graduates of our MBA program to have a profound impact on the way the world does business, and to respond to the challenges of management and leadership in a way that demonstrates integrity and courageous spirit.

What advice would you give to applicants to your program?

For anyone considering starting an MBA program, research is really the key, consider what you want to gain from the experience as well as what you can bring to the school that you join. Ensuring that you join a school and program that ‘fits’ you is important and the only way to know this is delve into the community and the program, find out what courses you will study, how you can develop your career, and who you will be studying with and learning from. Visits to campus are a fantastic way to meet students currently studying on a program and we would encourage you to attend our information sessions, and speak with our alumni, staff and students to find out more about why London Business School might be right for you.

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