The University of Sharjah has made a notable leap in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2025, securing its place among the world’s top programmes for career outcomes.
Climbing from the 161-170 band in 2024 to the 141-150 band this year, the UAE-based university ranks 12th globally in the Career Outcomes indicator, which reflects graduates’ salary growth and career progression. Specifically, it stands 20th worldwide for mean salary increase and 34th for the percentage of graduates promoted.
Across the Arab region, six institutions from five countries have earned spots in this year’s QS Executive MBA Rankings, which evaluates 233 programmes across 50 countries and territories.
Among them, the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia’s KFUPM Business School lead the region, both ranked in the 101-110 bracket globally. AUB had previously been ranked 90th in 2024, while KFUPM was at 87, showing a slight drop but still maintaining their positions as the region’s best Executive MBA providers.
Egypt’s AUC School of Business continues to perform steadily, retaining its 121-130 position. Notably, AUC and AUB feature among the top global performers in the Executive Profile indicator, which measures executive-level experience within cohorts.
AUC ranks 25th globally in this category, followed closely by AUB at 26th—underscoring their appeal to experienced professionals. Meanwhile, Tunisia’s Mediterranean School of Business improved to the 171-180 bracket, and the Lebanese American University (Adnan Kassar School of Business) was listed in the 181-190 group.
KFUPM and AUC also earned strong marks in the Employability indicator, which reflects employer reputation. KFUPM placed 61st globally, while AUC came in at 76th—demonstrating increasing recognition of Arab institutions by top global employers.
QS President Nunzio Quacquarelli said, “The Arab region is home to an increasingly booming higher education landscape, with Saudi Arabia home to three and Qatar home to two of the world’s top 200 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025 for the first time ever. The quality of Executive MBA offerings across the region continues to improve, with classrooms with some of the world’s most experienced learners and the University of Sharjah ranking 12th best in the world for Career Outcomes.
“In today’s interconnected business landscape, where globalism is being increasingly challenged, agility and cross-cultural competence are more vital than ever and leading Executive MBA programmes should continue to prioritise international diversity, strong career outcomes, and high-calibre cohorts to equip future leaders.”
On the global front, Oxford University’s Saïd Business School maintained its top spot, followed by France’s HEC Paris, which rose to second place, and Spain’s IESE Business School in third. MIT Sloan and London Business School rounded out the global top five.
The United States leads the rankings with 67 institutions listed, followed by France with 12 and the United Kingdom with 11. Other well-represented countries include Canada, China, India, and Australia.
© Khaleej Times