Achieving an extraordinary advancement, the Koç University Graduate School of Business has leaped to the 31st place in the rankings of the Financial Times, one of the world’s most prestigious publications, in which “Executive MBA” (EMBA) programs of business schools around the world are ranked. In this distinguished league of the world’s top business schools, the Koç University Graduate School of Business maintained its status as the only institution from Türkiye to be ranked among the top 100. With women constituting 50% of its faculty members, the Koç University Graduate School of Business shared the first place with regard to this criterion with three universities.

The “Executive MBA” (EMBA) program, among the programs offered by the Koç University Graduate School of Business aimed at executives, made a leap of 24 places this year, taking the 31st place in the Financial Times (FT) international Executive MBA rankings. Maintaining its first place among universities in Türkiye, the Koç University Graduate School of Business was also one of the three top-ranking universities with regard to gender diversity, one of the most important criteria considered by the Financial Times, with a 50% proportion of women faculty members.

The Financial Times rankings consider a total of 16 criteria, which are determined by evaluations based on such factors as the career progress of graduates, salary increase rates, gender distribution among faculty members, as well as the international recognition of the program and publications of faculty members with high impact factor.

In evaluations for measuring career leaps, graduates of the Koç University EMBA program were observed to have obtained a 76% salary increase within the last three years. The program advanced to the 9th place with regard to this criterion, which the Financial Times considers among the most important.

Koç University Graduate School of Business Academic Director Prof. Şuhnaz Yılmaz Özbağcı made the following comments about the school’s ranking this year: “The Koç University Graduate School of Business EMBA Program’s advancement to the 31st place in the Financial Times rankings among the most distinguished higher education institutions of the world clearly reflects the superior quality and international reputation of this program. In addition to being the only institution to rank among the top 100 from Türkiye, we feel proud to share the first place in gender diversity with three universities with a 50% proportion of women faculty members. Our academic staff consisting of world-renowned academics in their fields, our highly distinguished and highly motivated student profile, our international recognition and accreditations, emphasis on cooperation between the business world and the university, and our vision of educating leaders who work with the principle of social responsibility for a sustainable future have all contributed significantly to this success.”

Koç University Graduate School of Business Executive Director Nida Bektaş said: “We are extremely pleased with the great leap made in international rankings by the Koç University EMBA Program, which has strategic importance with regard to our mission as the Graduate School of Business. Our ascent in the rankings in recent years is a result of our graduates developing skills that meet the expectations of the business world, successfully reflecting their learning outcomes from the program on their work lives, and the subsequent rise in their careers as a result. In an environment of increasing uncertainty, where the expectations of students and faculty are changing both with regard to class content and method of instruction, the advancement we have made among the giants of the education world is a clear indication that we offer education in world standards.”

The Koç University Executive MBA Program, which aims to provide the analytical foundation that mid-level managers with at least 7 years of work experience will need in the higher stages of their careers by improving their managerial and leadership skills, has a duration of 17 months. When the dedicated students complete the 17-month Executive MBA program, they become an integral part of Koç University’s alumni network and an international network of business professionals.

With its Executive MBA and MBA programs, the Koç University Graduate School of Business is the only institution in Türkiye to attain accreditation from AMBA (The Association of MBAs), the leading authority in graduate business education. The Koç University Graduate School of Business, which also carries AACSB accreditation, maintains its status as the first and only academic institution in Türkiye to attain the “Triple Crown” title with its recently renewed EQUIS accreditation.