The Financial Times (FT) has released its 2026 Global Top 100 Full-Time MBA Ranking. The MBA program at CEIBS has achieved a new milestone, rising to eighth place globally and securing the number one position in Asia for the tenth consecutive year.
In this year's ranking, the CEIBS MBA program once again joined the global top tier, standing as the only Asian MBA program to do so. This distinction not only highlights the program's exceptional global competitiveness but also reinforces its leadership role as Asia's premier MBA course.
CEIBS was established through a partnership between the Chinese government and the European Union, making it the only top-tier global business school founded via intergovernmental cooperation. This unique background provides CEIBS with an inherent global perspective, positioning it as a bridge connecting China with Europe and the wider world.
Wang Hong, President of CEIBS, remarked that maintaining the top position in Asia for ten years and re-entering the global top ten reflects the program's steady and remarkable progress. This ranking acknowledges CEIBS's commitment to teaching innovation, alumni development, and enhancing its global reputation. It also embodies the school's persistent pursuit of excellence amid a rapidly changing world. This achievement is especially meaningful as the school embarks on its latest five-year strategic plan. Rather than a final celebration, it marks a new starting point. Looking ahead, CEIBS will continue to broaden its vision, strengthen its resolve, and take concrete actions to achieve even greater success in the next five years.
Being ranked as Asia's top MBA program by the Financial Times for ten consecutive years demonstrates CEIBS's consistent excellence and its ability to evolve with the times. Since first topping the Asian ranking in 2016, the global economic and management education landscapes have undergone significant changes. Throughout this period, the CEIBS MBA has remained at the forefront, showcasing resilience, adaptability, and enduring relevance.
Frank Bournois, Co-Dean of CEIBS, emphasized that this ranking is a strong endorsement of the program's capability to nurture global business leaders. He highlighted CEIBS's distinctive strengths, including its relentless focus on innovation, close collaboration with enterprises, world-class faculty, and a global alumni network of over 34,000 members. These elements form a solid foundation for the school's sustained growth and reflect its unique governance model. From its inception, CEIBS has been international in character, blending European and Chinese perspectives and fostering global dialogue. This distinctive approach sets CEIBS apart from other business schools in China and worldwide. Moving forward, CEIBS will continue to expand its global business network, embrace transformative technologies like AI, and strive for excellence in teaching, research, and talent development.
Innovation remains central to CEIBS's curriculum and institutional development. The MBA program is continuously updated to reflect technological advances, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and evolving global business logic. A recent initiative, the CEIBS InnoLab, exemplifies this approach by providing a platform for MBA students and alumni to engage in entrepreneurship, enhancing both the school's innovation ecosystem and students' practical skills. These efforts underscore CEIBS's commitment to addressing complex business challenges with forward-thinking solutions.
Zhu Tian, Vice President and Academic Director of CEIBS, noted that the program achieved its best-ever performance in the "research" metric in this year's ranking. This success is attributed to the dedication and expertise of CEIBS's world-class faculty, who combine international perspectives with deep insights into Chinese business practices. By integrating teaching with research and fostering industry-academia collaboration, CEIBS professors contribute significantly to the program's ongoing achievements. The school will continue to support research and innovation, aiming to become a hub for cutting-edge ideas and a leader in nurturing future business talent.
The CEIBS MBA also excelled in career development metrics, with both "career progress" and "employment rate three months after graduation" ranking in the global top ten, while the "salary" indicator remained in the top twenty worldwide. These results affirm the program's effectiveness in supporting students' career advancement and building future-ready competencies.
Zhang Lingling, Associate Professor of Marketing, Associate Dean (MBA), and MBA Program Director at CEIBS, stated that the program's decade-long leadership in Asia reflects the stability and foresight of its educational model. As AI reduces the cost of accessing standardized knowledge, management education is shifting its focus from "knowing the answers" to "developing judgment." The CEIBS MBA emphasizes decision-making in complex scenarios, systemic thinking, and leadership development, preparing students to navigate uncertainty and make informed choices. Leveraging China's highly digital and competitive business environment, the program integrates global management perspectives with real-world practice, treating technology as a tool to enhance decision-making rather than replace human judgment. In the future, the program will further strengthen international cooperation and incorporate AI and management decision-making topics into the curriculum, helping students build irreplaceable long-term competitiveness.
Whether for international students seeking to enhance their global leadership skills or Chinese business professionals aiming to expand their international outlook, CEIBS offers a unique and powerful platform grounded in its philosophy of "China Depth, Global Breadth."
As CEIBS begins a new five-year plan, the school will accelerate its efforts to fulfill its mission of developing socially responsible business leaders. Guided by the school motto of "Conscientiousness, Innovation, and Excellence," CEIBS will continue to build a world-class MBA program, enhance its global reputation, and contribute to the advancement of business civilization in China and beyond.
About the CEIBS MBA Program: The CEIBS MBA is designed to cultivate future global business leaders with a deep understanding of the Chinese market and strong cross-cultural communication skills. Through a comprehensive leadership curriculum, students in the 12- or 16-month program engage in academic, experiential, and personal transformation activities to refine their leadership capabilities.
CEIBS boasts a vast and influential alumni network that provides extensive support to MBA students. Immersed in an environment enriched by business leaders and top-tier international business education, CEIBS MBA students develop strategic insight and integrated business judgment, gaining a unique competitive edge for their careers.
About CEIBS: CEIBS was jointly established by the Chinese government and the European Union in 1994, with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) as its founding partners. The school has campuses in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zurich, and Accra. Dedicated to developing business leaders with "China Depth, Global Breadth," CEIBS serves as a vital platform for exchange and cooperation between China, Europe, and the world. The school offers a range of programs, including a full-time English-language MBA, part-time MBA, Finance MBA (FMBA), Global Master in Management (Global MiM), EMBA, Global EMBA (GEMBA), Hospitality EMBA (HEMBA), DBA, PhD, and Executive Education (EE). The CEIBS MBA has been ranked number one in Asia by the Financial Times for ten consecutive years, while the Global EMBA program has held a top-two global position for six years.
To date, CEIBS has more than 34,000 alumni from over 91 countries and regions and has provided management training to over 270,000 executives worldwide.