IE Business School´s International Executive MBA program has been rated the best in the world in the report on online management education published today by The Economist. IE Business School shares the top position with the University of Florida (U.S.), rated for its Internet MBA. The rating further consolidates IE´s position as a leading business school worldwide.

The authors of the report underscore the profile of the student body of IE´s International Executive MBA, comprising senior managers from some 33 countries with an average of over 13 years´ management experience. In spite of the fact that they work from such far-flung locations as Nigeria and Turkmenistan, program participants profess to feel incredibly connected with the business school. The Economist also highlights the high level of motivation and discipline among IE students, which results in more than 90% of its International Executive MBA students graduating at the end of the program, in sharp contrast to the general drop-out rate among online education programs.

The IE Business School International Executive MBA is aimed at senior managers with a markedly international profile and combines onsite classes in Madrid and Shanghai with online modules. Over the last decade IE Business School has invested heavily in the development of online programs run in English and Spanish. In 2002 the School invested 12 million Euros in the launch of an online education platform that was the first of its kind in Europe. Online programs currently offered by IE Business School include the International Executive MBA, the Global MBA, and specialized masters like the Master in Biotechnology Management, Master in Sports Management and Master in Digital Marketing. Furthermore, all IE students have access to multimedia content and can study subjects online.

The rating published by The Economist evaluates online programs run by the 100 business schools that participate in its MBA ranking. The report has drawn up a list of the 13 best schools based on criteria that includes program content, what students think of the faculty and their classmates, the quality and effectiveness of online materials, how close students feel to the school, professors and other program participants during the program, and the return on investment achieved.

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