Singapore, 13 October 2026 – 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.
The programme’s strongest gains came in International Course Experience and Career Progress. 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.
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.
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.