Top Business & Management Schools in 2016

This article refers to the results of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2016. Click here to view the top business schools in 2019.

Starting last year, QS now publishes an annual ranking of the world’s top business schools, as part of the QS World University Rankings by Subject. The list is compiled based on a methodology which draws on employer and academic reputation combined with data on research citations.

Read on for an overview of the top business schools in the world, or to view the full list of 200, click here.

Top business schools in the US & Canada 

The United States is home to an impressive 43 of the 200 entries in the business school ranking, with Harvard University this year overtaking the UK’s London Business School to be ranked as the world’s top business school. Of the US’s entries, 15 are ranked among the top 50 for business, including University of California, Berkeley (11^th), Yale University (16^th), University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA; 17^th). New York University and the University of Chicago also feature in the top 20, sharing 19^th place.

Canada has nine representatives in the business and management ranking, including three in the top 50. These are the University of Toronto (35^th), the University of British Columbia (38^th), and McGill University (joint 45^th).

Top business schools in Europe

Europe has many prestigious universities included in the business school ranking, with the top 10 (above) featuring business schools in the UK, France and Italy. 

The UK alone has 25 representatives in the ranking, including seven in the top 50. Outside of the top 10, these are:  the University of Warwick (25^th), the University of Manchester (joint 28^th) and Imperial College London (36^th).

Also performing well in the business and management ranking is Germany with eight representatives, the highest ranked of which is Universität Mannheim (in the 51-100 range).

France is another strong country in which to study business, with six entries in the ranking, including INSEAD (3^rd), HEC Paris (14^th) and ESSEC Business School, Paris (top 100). 

Five top business schools are claimed by the Netherlands, with Erasmus University Rotterdam the country’s highest ranked (21^st). Spain also has five representatives, including ESADE Business School in the top 100. Switzerland claims four of the top business schools in the world, with the University of St Gallen its strongest performer (37^th).

Over in Scandinavia, Denmark and Sweden offer three top business schools each, with Denmark’s Copenhagen Business School taking 13^th place. Finland and Norway may only offer one ranked business school each, but they’re both in the top 100 – Aalto University and BI Norwegian Business School.

Ireland and Belgium each feature in the ranking with two entries, including Belgium’s Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven, joint 82^nd) in the top 100. Greece, Russia and Austria also have one representative apiece in the business school ranking, with Austria’s WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) placing joint 45^th.

Top business schools in Asia 

South Korea claims eight of the top business schools in the world, the highest ranking of which is Seoul National University (33^rd). China has seven entries in the business school ranking, including three in the top 50. Its highest ranked business school is Peking University (34^th). 

Hong Kong’s five representatives in the ranking are all within the top 50, led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST, 18^th). Singapore also performs well, with three entries, led by the National University of Singapore (12^th).

India and Taiwan each claim five top business schools in the ranking, while Malaysia and Japan have four each and Thailand two.

Top business schools in Australia & New Zealand

Australia has 17 universities featured among the top business schools in the world, of which five are within the top 50. The leader of these is the University of Melbourne (15^th), followed by the University of New South Wales (24^th) and the University of Sydney (30^th). 

New Zealand claims a total of six leading business schools, of which the highest ranked is the University of Auckland (50^th).

Top business schools in Latin America  

Of Latin America’s 10 entries in the business school ranking, three are in Chile, including Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile within the top 100.

Brazil and Columbia each claim two representatives, while Mexico has three entries this year, with Tecnológico de Monterrey its highest ranked, featuring in the top 100. 

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