Employer funding of managers has fallen fast but demand for a global degree is strong
The share of employers contributing to the cost of senior managers studying for executive MBAs has dropped to just over half, according to the 2023 FT EMBA Ranking. The joint Kellogg-HKUST programme, based in Hong Kong, and Ceibs in Shanghai retain first and second places in the latest table. EMBAs — often studied by executives while working in senior roles — have traditionally been seen as a way to strengthen managers’ skills and aid their retention.
The ranking gives the highest weights to alumni salary and salary increase, but also includes relative performance on a range of other factors. These include: gender and international diversity of students and faculty; academic research; and carbon emissions in the schools’ operations. Financial support provided by employers has been consistently higher for male than female alumni, with 53 per cent and 50 per cent respectively receiving full or partial funding this year.