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Once again, LUSEM earns a spot among the world’s leading Management programmes

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LUSEM is proud to announce that our Master’s programme in International Strategic Management has once again been recognized among the top 50 programmes globally in the Financial Times' prestigious annual global ranking of 100 Master’s programmes.

This recognition reflects our unwavering dedication to academic excellence, leadership development, and providing an outstanding learning experience.

The FT ranking assesses schools on factors such as graduate outcomes, salary increases, and programme diversity. Our program's consistent performance highlights our commitment to preparing students for success in an ever-evolving business world.

Success factors?

To fully understand how tough this ranking is and the level of competition, one must have some background knowledge. Programme director Ulf Ramberg explains:

It is, of course, an immense honor to be ranked among the top 50 on this list. The competition is incredibly tough. The ranking also includes a wide range of criteria that the various programmes are expected to meet, and naturally, it helps if the programme is one or two years longer than ours, which is nine months. That we still manage to perform so well is a testament to the quality and content we offer in those nine months.

Reflecting on the success Ulf mentions several factors:

A concentrated and focused programme, case-based and small class teaching with close contact between a qualified faculty and highly skilled and engaged students, as well as the programme’s focus on sustainability, are some of the factors I see as contributing to our success. Being part of the learning environment created by the close and intense interaction between the faculty and the students is special and difficult to describe. One thing you can be certain of, however, is that something transformative is happening.

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A concentrated and focused programme, case-based and small class teaching with close contact between a qualified faculty and highly skilled and engaged students, as well as the programme’s focus on sustainability, are some of the success factors according to the programme director Ulf Ramberg. Photo: Johan Bävman

”Achieving and sustaining a high ranking reflects combined efforts”

Ulrika Wennersten, Vice Dean with special responsibilities for education, reflects on what participating in the 2024 Masters in Management ranking and maintaining a top position means for the School and its future prospective students:

”This ranking serves as a testament to the exceptional quality of this programme. It highlights innovative pedagogy, research-driven education, and strong corporate connections, which are critical factors for students evaluating potential schools. Hence, maintaining a top position helps attract prospective students worldwide and top international faculty. The ranking also enhances the School’s global reputation, making it more visible and appealing to partners worldwide, which enriches the educational experience. Achieving and sustaining a high ranking reflects the combined efforts of the programme director, talented teachers, students, alumni, and strong corporate collaboration. For prospective students, enrolling in a top-ranked programme often leads to greater career opportunities. The value of a degree from a highly ranked institution is recognized by employers, which can lead to better job placements and professional networking opportunities.”

Thoughts from the Dean on LUSEM’s recent ranking

Reached by the great news Dean at LUSEM, Joakim Gullstrand, is both happy and proud. So what are his reflections?

LUSEM continues to maintain its strong reputation ranked highly year after year in different prestigious rankings. How does this reflect the overall mission and vision of the School, and what steps are we taking to ensure sustained excellence across all our academic offerings?

”LUSEM’s strong reputation in prestigious rankings directly reflects our mission to make a meaningful impact on students, faculty, and society through excellence in education, research, and external engagement. Our vision to be an innovative, internationally respected business school is supported by continuous improvements, such as refining learning objectives, expanding international partnerships, and integrating sustainability across curricula. To sustain excellence, we focus on enhancing pedagogical innovation, leveraging corporate connections, strengthening alumni engagement, and prioritising research excellence. By aligning education, corporate partnerships, and research, we create a dynamic learning environment that keeps our academic offerings relevant, impactful, and at the forefront of global standards of excellence,” Joakim says.

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Reasons for applying to the programme expressed by both current and former students are good reputation, broad and specialized at the same time, a clearly thought-out programme and the international environment. Photo: Oleksandra Panasenko

Attracted by the international environment

Laura Rodriguez Villanueva from Spain recently started studying the programme. When asked why she applied for the Master’s programme in International Strategic Management, she emphasizes the international environment and the closeness to the business world.

”I applied for the ISM programme to deepen my knowledge in my field and build the skills necessary for my future professional career. The international environment the programme offers provides a unique opportunity to learn from classmates with diverse backgrounds, which I believe is invaluable for both personal and professional growth. It also has a strong practical focus that allows you to engage with companies directly by collaborating with them and gaining valuable real-world experience,” Laura says. 

Another factor was that I had heard great things about the programme and the university, which reinforced my decision.

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”The international environment the programme offers provides a unique opportunity to learn from classmates with diverse backgrounds, which I believe is invaluable for both personal and professional growth,” says Laura Rodriguez Villanueva who recently started studying the programme. Photo: Amanda Knöös

Why so happy about a high ranking?

There are many ways of measuring success of education; one of them is to be evaluated and ranked. Being audited and receiving a good assessment brings many benefits such as good global reputation, more students applying to the programme and a larger network with international partners and alumni around the world. No doubt this position on the FT ranking brings joy to LUSEM!

The FT ranking of Master’s programmes in Management is open to master's programmes worldwide in the management field. The ranking is based on relative performance on a range of factors provided by schools and their alumni three years after they completed their studies, including graduate salaries, whether they achieved their study aims, and diversity. In line with other business qualifications ranked by the FT, the methodology has been modified this year (2023) to reduce the overall weight given to salaries and to increase the importance of other factors, including new assessments of the value of alumni networks.

There are approximately 15,000 business schools around the world and the vast majority provide education in management.

The Master’s programme in International Strategic Management at LUSEM started in 2016. LUSEM was the second higher education institution in Sweden to enter the Financial Times' prestigious list of management programmes.

Masters in Management ranking 2024 at the Financial Times website


About rankings and accreditations at LUSEM