# SMU Executive MBA enters global Top 50 in Financial Times ranking

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/smu-executive-mba-enters-global-top-50-in-financial-times-ranking
- Published: 2026-10-15T09:00:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

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_Programme rises nine places to 46th worldwide and ranks 9th globally __for International
Course Experience_

SINGAPORE, Oct. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Singapore Management University’s (SMU) 
Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) has entered the global Top 50
in the Financial Times (FT) Executive MBA Ranking 2026, rising nine places from 
its last ranked position in 2024 to 46th worldwide.

[⌊SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business⌉⌊SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business⌉[
SMU Lee Kong
Chian School of Business

The programme’s strongest gains came in International Course Experience^([1]) and
Career Progress^([2]). SMU climbed 18 places to 9th globally for International Course
Experience, its best result to date, and rose 27 places to 42nd globally for Career
Progress, also a record for the programme.

**Global exposure and career advancement**

The results underscore key strengths of the SMU EMBA: giving senior executives opportunities
to deepen their understanding of different markets and business environments, while
supporting their continued development as leaders.

SMU’s Top 10 global position for International Course Experience reflects the programme’s
emphasis on learning across borders and gaining first-hand exposure to business 
beyond Singapore, in the biggest economies in the world – the United States, China
and Europe. Its improvement in Career Progress also points to the advancement of
alumni into more senior positions, within or outside their organisations following
their EMBA.

The programme also saw alumni rating the network more highly for career opportunities,
recruitment, entrepreneurship and access to events. This reflects the growing strength
of the EMBA network that encompasses a good ecosystem to support thriving leaders
across various industries and organisations.

Dr Ang Ser Keng, EMBA Academic Director at SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business,
said: "We are deeply encouraged by our gains in Career Progress and International
Course Experience, as they reflect two things that matter greatly to experienced
executives: continuing to grow as leaders and developing the perspectives to operate
effectively across markets."

"Today’s senior leaders need to understand how business is conducted across different
markets, cultures and economic environments. Our EMBA is designed to give participants
that breadth of perspective. Through learning experiences in Asia, Europe and the
United States, they engage with different business ecosystems, exchange perspectives
with leaders and organisations across markets, and bring those insights back to 
their own leadership contexts. This international exposure, combined with the experience
of their peers in the classroom, is an important part of how we prepare executives
to lead in an increasingly interconnected world."

The FT Executive MBA Ranking draws on information provided by business schools and
their alumni and assesses the programme across measures including career outcomes,
diversity, international experience, research and ESG. In the 2026 ranking, alumni-
based criteria account for 52 per cent of the overall assessment, with school-provided
data accounting for 48 per cent.

The SMU EMBA is offered by SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB). It is
a high–impact, leadership–focused programme designed to develop senior executives
into globally minded, purpose–driven leaders equipped to navigate complex and rapidly
evolving business environments. It is delivered in a modular format, designed specifically
for senior executives. Teaching is conducted in intensive blocks, blending in-person
sessions, global immersion components, and experiential projects to maximise flexibility
and learning impact. The programme targets mid–to–senior level executives with significant
professional experience (averaging 20 years), typically in leadership or strategic
roles.

**About Singapore Management University (SMU)**

Established in 2000, Singapore Management University (SMU) is recognised for its
high-impact, multi-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance,
and for its interactive, collaborative and project-based approach to learning. Home
to over 13,000 students across six schools and two colleges, SMU offers bachelors,
masters and PhD programmes across Accountancy, Business, Economics, Information 
Systems, Integrative Studies, Law and Social Sciences, as well as executive development
and continuing education programmes. SMU graduates are consistently ranked among
the most employable in Singapore, and command one of the highest mean starting salaries.
Through its city campus, SMU enjoys strategic linkages with business, government
and the wider community in Singapore and beyond. [www.smu.edu.sg](http://www.smu.edu.sg/)

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_^([1])__ International course experience ranking is based on the percentage of classroom teaching hours for the recent completing class, that were required to be conducted outside the location in which the business school is situated. In-person, virtual and hybrid experiences are included._

_^([2])__ Career progress is calculated according to changes in the level of seniority and the size of company or organisation the alumni work in now, versus before their EMBA._

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  |  This article was produced by Cision PR Newswire, our trusted news partner. The views expressed and the content presented here are solely those of the author and may not fully reflect the opinions of Thailand Business News. |

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**Read the original article :** [SMU Executive MBA enters global Top 50 in Financial Times ranking ](http://www.prnasia.com/story/archive/5066921_AE66921_0?rand=184833)
