IIM-A, IIM-B top Indian B-schools in FT Executive Education Rankings 2019

Two Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) -- Ahmedabad and Bangalore -- emerged as the top-rated Indian B-schools in the latest Financial Times Executive Education Rankings 2019 in different categories. 

The Financial Times Executive Education ranking announced the list of top 80 global providers of executive education, or management development programmes (MDPs), for 2019 in the customised and open categories, apart from another top-50 in the combined category. The FT 2019 Executive Education global rankings are based on the participants’ and clients’ satisfaction, the diversity of participants and faculty, and the schools’ international exposure.

The participating schools are ranked on various parameters by corporations that commission the Executive Education courses (for Custom programmes), by participants of these courses (for Open programmes), and on the data reported by the Business Schools.

Among these, while IIM-A was the top ranked Indian B-school at 49th position in the customised category, IIM Bangalore was top ranked, at 49th position again, in the open category. 

In the combined category, IIM Bangalore and IIM Ahmedabad were the only two Indian B-schools to make it to the list at 43rd and 44th positions, respectively.

Customised executive education programmes are essentially tailor-made for a company that seeks to train its personnel in specific areas, while open-enrolment programmes embrace working professionals from all organisations.

In the customised category, while IIM-A improved its position by moving up from 57th position last year to the 49th, IIM Bangalore climbed from 59th position to 57th this year. On the other hand, in the open category, IIM-B rose from 64th position last year to 49th position this year whereas IIM-A improved from the 66th spot to the 57th this year. The Indian School of Business (ISB) debuted this year in both categories, taking the 76th and 80th spots in the customised and open categories, respectively.

According to R Srinivasan, Professor of Strategy and Chairperson, Executive Education at IIM Bangalore, the improved ranking was a reflection of the range, quality and learning outcomes of the programmes at the B-school.

Meanwhile, commenting on the 2019 rankings, Madan Mohan Raj, Chief Programme Officer, Executive Education said: "IIM-B has enjoyed great success in recent years in internationalisation of its programme offerings. We have a rich portfolio of open programmes offered in partnership with International schools and are also seeing good traction for IIM-B’s programmes from the International business schools and corporates. The FT ranking will give greater visibility globally for IIM-B and its Executive Education Programmes."

The Executive Education at IIM Bangalore has been part of the Institute since its inception and offers a wide range of programmes on leadership, innovation, digitalization, strategy, finance and top management programmes. IIM-B offers about 200 plus programmes that attracts 6,000 plus participants a year.