Trinity MBA programme ranked 85th in world survey

The Masters in Business Administration (MBA) programme at Trinity College, Dublin, has been ranked 85th in the world by the annual Financial Times MBA ranking.

The other Irish MBA included in the top 100 globally was the UCD Smurfit School of Business, which was ranked 89th.

The Trinity IMI Graduate School of Management's MBA programme, was up from 98th place last year, while the UCD school was down from 86th place last year.

The top-ranking school globally was University of Pennsylvania, Wharton, while the top European school was the London Business School, which ranked fifth globally.

The rankings showed that graduates of the TCD course in 2005 now had an average salary of $117,885 (€97,522). Within three months of graduating, 64 per cent of students were employed.

Graduates of the UCD course in 2005 were earning an average of $93,599 (€77,446). Within three months of graduating 97 per cent were employed.

Trinity noted that it had ranked second in the world for global mobility, third for value for money, and seventh in Europe for alumni salary levels.

"The programme was ranked 85th globally and 22nd in Europe, both rankings up on 2005 and ahead of the UCD Smurfit business school," a statement said.

"To be a top 10 MBA programme in three highly valued categories reflects extremely well the ethos and substance of the Trinity MBA," said programme director Karen Finigan.

"As we develop the Graduate School of Management and our partnership with the IMI, the prospects for building on our top 10 positions is unlimited," she said.

On this year's programme 43 per cent of students are women. "The programme prides itself on having a broad, diverse international representation, attracting students from all over the world."

This year 64 per cent of students are non-Irish.

The UCD Smurfit School of Business, in a statement, said it had "once again maintained its presence in the top 100".

Prof Tom Begley, the new dean of UCD Business Schools, said that while, " we are pleased to be included in these rankings, the increased competitiveness among business schools across the globe highlights the need for ongoing investment in business education.

"We have always benchmarked ourselves against the best schools in the world and will continue to do so; in recognition of this we have recently made a number of senior international appointments at the school."

The vast bulk of the schools listed were in the US and Europe.

A joint eight-ranked school, Insead, is based in France and Singapore while the school ranked 21st, Ceibs, is based in China.

A second Chinese school, the Hong Kong UST Business School, was ranked 47th and a Canadian/Chinese school, University of Western Ontario/ Ivey, was ranked 31st.

There was no Indian school in the top 100.