Monday, February 16, 2026

CEIBS MBA ranked #1 in Asia for tenth consecutive year, #8 globally

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February 16, 2026. Shanghai – China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) has been ranked #1 in Asia for the tenth consecutive year and #8 globally in the Financial Times’ 2026 Global MBA Ranking.

The result places CEIBS in the FT’s Tier 1 of global full-time MBA programmes. It is the only MBA programme based in Asia to rank in this tier, underscoring its international competitiveness and reinforcing its position as the region’s leading MBA.

Founded as a joint venture between the European Union and China, CEIBS is also the only business school established through government-to-government collaboration to appear in the upper echelon of the ranking. This distinction reflects its unique identity as a truly international institution and a bridge between Europe, China, and the wider world.

 

Wang Hong
CEIBS President

"Ranked the best in Asia for ten consecutive years and returning to the global top ten, the CEIBS MBA programme continues to advance steadily and deliver outstanding results. This achievement reflects CEIBS’ commitment to innovative teaching, the empowerment and long-term development of alumni, and the enhancement of the school’s global reputation. It also speaks to the enterprising spirit of CEIBS — an international business school rooted in China that continues to forge ahead amid global uncertainty — and embodies the enduring strength of our motto: ‘Conscientiousness, Innovation, and Excellence.’ This honour has not come easily. As the school embarks on a new five-year strategic plan, the ranking carries added significance. It represents not a celebration at the finish line, but the starting point of a new journey. In the years ahead, a complex global landscape, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the restructuring of global supply chains will continue to reshape management education. CEIBS will remain true to its mission, moving forward with clarity, confidence, and resolve to achieve even greater success in the next five years."
MBA Ranking

Being named Asia’s top MBA programme by the Financial Times — an internationally respected authority on management education — for ten consecutive years reflects not only consistency, but sustained progress and a commitment to remaining forward-looking, reflecting a programme that is continuously evolving to keep pace with changing trends. Since first reaching #1 in Asia in 2016, the global economy and the management education landscape have undergone profound change. Maintaining this position throughout a turbulent decade demonstrates the CEIBS MBA programme’s resilience, adaptability, and continued relevance.

 

Frank Bournois
CEIBS Co-President (European)

"This ranking reaffirms that the CEIBS MBA is recognised by the Financial Times, a widely respected, independent international authority, as a programme that develops effective leaders across countries, industries, and career aspirations. It reflects our strengths on multiple fronts: a deep commitment to innovation and close engagement with enterprises; a world-class faculty distinguished in both teaching and research; and a truly global alumni network of more than 34,000 business leaders worldwide. Above all, it validates our uniquely global vision and governance model — CEIBS is international at its core, with Europe, China, and the wider world embedded in our DNA. It is our conviction that this fundamentally global character is what distinguishes us both among business schools in China, and among other leading management education institutions around the world. As we celebrate today’s achievement, we will also use it as a springboard to deepen our engagement with the global business community, further integrate transformative technologies like AI into our curriculum, and continue delivering excellence in teaching, research, and student outcomes."

Central to this performance is CEIBS’ commitment to innovation at both the programme and institutional levels. The MBA curriculum is designed to evolve alongside shifts in technology, geopolitics, and global business strategy. Initiatives such as the recently launched CEIBS InnoLab — a platform supporting entrepreneurship and venture development among MBA students and alumni — are developed to further strengthen the school’s innovation ecosystem and ensure that students are equipped with skills valued by employers and entrepreneurs alike. Initiatives like these demonstrate that our dedication to offering cutting-edge solutions to today’s most pressing business issues will continue long into the future.

 

Zhu Tian
CEIBS Vice President and Co-dean

"In this year’s ranking, the CEIBS MBA programme achieved its best-ever performance in the FT research rank category — a distinction made possible by the dedication and intellectual rigor of our faculty. CEIBS is home to a world-class team of professors with expertise spanning both China and the global business world. Drawing on their unique insight into Chinese business practice, they transform research into practical knowledge that empowers students to excel in their careers and achieve lasting success. With a global perspective complemented by a strong grounding in China-focused scholarship, our faculty integrate teaching and research while fostering close collaboration between academia and industry. As they continue to push the frontiers of business knowledge, they remain committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of global leaders — a key factor behind CEIBS’ continued success. CEIBS will continue to support faculty research and teaching innovation, ensuring that the school remains a wellspring of fresh ideas and a leading institution for cultivating responsible, impactful leaders."
MBA Ranking

CEIBS’ strong performance this year also reflects measurable career outcomes and our ability to deliver for students. The programme ranked in the global top ten for career progress and employment at three months, and in the top 20 for weighted salary. These indicators highlight our ability to deliver tangible professional advancement and build modern core competitive edges across diverse industries, geographies, and career ambitions.

 

Zhang Lingling
CEIBS Associate Professor of Marketing,
Associate Dean,
and Director of MBA Programme

“The CEIBS MBA programme has ranked Asia’s No.1 for ten consecutive years, a performance that reflects the robustness and forward-looking nature of its educational model amid rapid technological change. As artificial intelligence significantly lowers the cost of accessing standardised knowledge, the focus of management education is shifting from acquiring answers to developing judgement. The CEIBS MBA has thus aligned its curriculum accordingly, emphasising decision-making, systems thinking, and leadership in complex and uncertain contexts—capabilities that remain beyond the reach of algorithms. Anchored in China’s highly digitalised and intensely competitive business environment, the programme integrates global management perspectives with real-world practice, treating technology as an enabler rather than a substitute for human judgement. Looking ahead, the CEIBS MBA programme will continue to strengthen global partnerships and embed AI-related decision-making topics into the learning experience, equipping students with capabilities that are durable and difficult to replicate.”

From international professionals intent on building their leadership skills with an Asia-focused, globally recognised MBA to aspiring business leaders in China seeking global exposure as Chinese companies expand worldwide, CEIBS continues to offer a powerful and distinctive platform defined by its guiding principle of “China Depth, Global Breadth.” The school remains committed to developing responsible business leaders and delivering an MBA that definitively ranks among the best in the world, in line with its motto of “Conscientiousness, Innovation, and Excellence.”

About the CEIBS MBA Programme

The CEIBS MBA programme is committed to cultivating future global business leaders who possess deep insight into the Chinese market along with an international perspective and strong cross-cultural communication skills. Through a leadership development curriculum that runs throughout the entire MBA experience, students integrate academic rigor, experiential projects, and personal transformation within a 12- or 16-month programme, continuously practicing, reflecting on, and refining their leadership capabilities.

The CEIBS MBA also boasts a large and highly influential global alumni network that provides comprehensive support to students. Immersed in an environment filled with business leaders and exposed to world-class international business education, CEIBS MBA students develop a sustainable strategic vision and holistic business judgment, building unique competitive advantages for their future career development. Learn more here.

About CEIBS

CEIBS was co-founded by the Chinese government and European Union (EU) in 1994, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) serving as its executive partners. The school has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Accra (Ghana), and Zurich (Switzerland).

CEIBS is committed to educating responsible leaders versed in “China Depth, Global Breadth” and serves as an important platform for exchange and co-operation between China, Europe and the world.

The school offers MBA, Part-time MBA, Finance MBA, Global MiM (Switzerland), EMBA, Global EMBA, Hospitality EMBA, DBA (Switzerland), PhD, and Executive Education programmes. It has been named #1 in Asia in the Financial Times’ ranking of global MBA programmes for ten consecutive years; its Global EMBA has ranked in the top two of its global ranking of EMBA programmes for six consecutive years.

CEIBS has more than 34,000 alumni from over 91 countries and regions around the world and has provided management training for more than 270,000 executives worldwide.

Writer：Michael RUSSAM
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