The Top 10 Executive MBA Programs in Asia-Pacific 2019

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business has been ranked the best business school for executive MBAs in the Asia-Pacific region for the second year running in the QS EMBA Rankings by Region 2019.

Released today, the QS Global EMBA Rankings 2019 reveal the top executive MBA programs around the world, as well as providing a regional breakdown to help you find a top school near you. The rankings also include a separate table of the best joint programs.

You can find out more about the methodology used to produce the rankings here.

The top 10 in the Asia-Pacific rankings can be seen below:

10) Lee Kong Chian School of Business

Kicking off the rankings in tenth place is Lee Kong Chian School of Business at Singapore Management University (SMU). SMU achieved impressive scores across all ranking indicators, including a perfect score in executive profile.

The 12-month program is delivered through a combination of intensive one to two-week long sessions and concentrated three-day weekends. Students will spend a week each at The Wharton School in Philadelphia, Peking University in Beijing, and the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad during the program.

Fees are SG$116,630 (approx. US$86,181) which cover tuition, study materials and meals during stays in the US, China and India. The class of 2018 cohort had an average of 19 years’ work experience and an average age of 41, with 68 percent international students.

9) Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM)

Ninth in the table is the MBA (Executive) program at AGSM at the University of New South Wales, which scored well across all ranking indicators. Although based in Sydney, the university has campuses in Perth, Melbourne and the country’s capital Canberra.

Program fees are AUD$85,095 (approx. US$60,515). Students can complete the EMBA in anywhere between two and a half and seven years, with most students taking three and a half years.

Students can enter the program by having a strong undergraduate degree and at least two-years’ prior managerial experience, or by having at least six-years’ previous managerial experience. The class of 2018 had an average of 11-years’ work experience, with finance, consulting and technology being some of the most popular previous industries.

8) Ivey Business School

Now we focus on the Executive MBA program at Western University's Ivey Business School, which achieved high scores across all ranking indicators, particularly for diversity. Students on the Ivey EMBA have an average of 15-years work experience, eight of which are managerial.

Although Ivey’s primary campuses are based in Canada, participants can complete their EMBA at the school’s state of the art Hong Kong campus. The 18-month program is comprised of two weekends a month, with a two-week residency to kick off the program and a one-week international trip to Silicon Valley.

There is one intake a year, with a relatively small class size of 58. The fees for the program will be CAD$115,000 (approx. US$86,100) from May 1^st, 2019 onwards.

7) Melbourne Business School

Melbourne Business Schools’ Executive MBA program is next on our list and is the highest ranked program in Australia. Melbourne scored particularly highly for thought leadership and diversity.

The 18-month program is made up of 17 four-day residential modules every four weeks and one week-long international module (20 days away from the office in your first year and 19 days in your second). Students have an average of 13 years’ work experience and an average age of 36.

The total cost for the program is AUD$103,500 (US$73,721), which includes tuition, class materials and text books, residential accommodation in Melbourne and overseas for the duration of the program, and meals on class days.

6) Nanyang Business School

Ranked sixth in Asia-Pacific is the Executive MBA program at Nanyang Business School, Singapore. The school achieved good scores across all ranking indicators, particularly for career outcomes. Students on the EMBA program have an average of 14 years’ work experience and an average age of 40.

The 14-month program costs around SG$100,666 (approx. US$74,439). Nanyang offers students an international experience in collaboration with two world-leading US business schools – The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Nanyang’s LINC (Live Consultancy Project) allows students to apply skills learnt to real-life business problems, presenting findings and recommendations on how to make a business more efficient (or recommend a new business venture) to a real client.

5) China Europe International Business School (CEIBS)

In the middle of the table is China Europe International Business School (CEIBS). The school scored highly across all ranking indicators, including the third highest score in Asia-Pacific for employer reputation and executive profile.

The 20-month program is based in Shanghai, but students have global study opportunities in cities including Barcelona and Zurich. The school has quite strict entry requirements, with applicants needing at least 10 years’ work experience; seven of which must be in managerial positions. Students in the class of 2018 averaged 15 years’ work experience, with an average age of 39 years.

Fees for the program are US$98,000, which covers tuition, teaching materials, lunches, accommodation and meals for the two residential modules at CEIBS and attendance at EMBA forums and lecture series.

4) The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Narrowly missing out on a top three spot is the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School. CUHK achieved an incredible perfect score across three ranking indicators: executive profile, career outcomes and diversity.

The first EMBA program offered in Hong Kong (in 1993), this two-year part-time program requires students to attend weekend classes once every two to three weeks as well as a residential week at the start. Tuition for 2019-20 students is HK$610,000 (approx. US$77,708) for the whole course plus around HK$25,000 (approx. US$3,185) for Residence Week in first year.

Students on the CUHK have an average of 17 years’ work experience and come from a range of professional backgrounds. All core courses are conducted in English with select electives available in Cantonese and Mandarin.

3) NUS Business School

In the bronze medal position is the Executive MBA program at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School. NUS scored highly across all ranking indicators, including a perfect score for executive profile.

With the busy executive in mind, the program is split into six intensive two-week sessions spanning 15 months. Although primarily based in Singapore, the program allows students to learn in numerous Asia-Pacific locations, including Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Delhi, Sydney and Tokyo.

The tuition fees are SG$100,000 (approx. US$73,723), with estimated additional costs of SG$20,000 (approx. US$14,744). The average student age is 40, with 16 years’ previous work experience.

2) INSEAD

Ranked second is INSEAD, with its Global Executive MBA (GEMBA), which achieved the highest score in the Asia-Pacific rankings for employer reputation and the second highest score for thought leadership. The GEMBA takes place primarily at the Singapore campus, with 10 modules at the Asia campus, five modules in Abu Dhabi, and three modules at the European campus.

The program takes 17 months, with 57 days out of office if you begin studying in Singapore. Total tuition fees are SG$191,000 (approx. US$140,906), with an estimated budget of SG$34,000 (approx. US$25,083) for associated expenses.

Students have an average of 14 years’ work experience, with an age range of around 33-43 years. Most students come from the Asia-Pacific region (36 percent), although Europe (32 percent) and the Middle East and Africa (25 percent) are also well represented.

1) The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Taking the top spot for the second year running is the Executive MBA program at the Chicago Booth School of Business. As well as ranking first for the Asia-Pacific region, Booth also ranked joint fifth globally, tied with HEC Paris.

Booth didn’t achieve a perfect score in our ranking indicators, but it secured its top spot by scoring extremely highly across the board, achieving the highest score for thought leadership.

Booth’s EMBA program takes place over 21 months, primarily based in their Hong Kong campus. The cost for the Hong Kong course is HKD 1,355,000 (approx. US$172,613), which includes tuition, course materials, some meals, and hotel accommodation for three residential weeks in Chicago and one week in London. The average EMBA student at Booth enters the program with 13 years’ experience behind them.