Europe is renowned for its unquestionable world-class education. As entrepreneurship and business gain global prominence, the competition among business schools intensifies, with rankings reflecting the quality of graduates.
In this article, we’ll reveal the top 20 European Business Schools based on the 2023 Bloomberg ranking, with a focus on compensation, learning, networking, and entrepreneurship outcomes.
To start with, let’s take a close look at some key statistics about top European Business Schools
- Spain hosts six of the top 20 business schools in Europe, closely followed by the UK with five schools.
- Among the top 20, the University of St Gallen (HSG) in Switzerland, established in 1898, holds the title of Europe’s oldest standing business school while Mannheim Business School, established in 2005 is the youngest.
- ESIC Business School in Barcelona, Spain, leads with an 85% acceptance rate, while EAE Business School, also in Spain, has the lowest acceptance rate at 10%.
- Among the top 20 European Business Schools, two are privately owned institutions: ESADE and ESMT Berlin.
- INSEAD Business School’s MBA program ranks second in producing CEOs for the world’s largest companies and sixth in generating world billionaires.
SDA Bocconi School of Management, Italy
The SDA Bocconi School of Management, founded in 1971 as the graduate business school of Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, holds top rankings among prestigious institutions.
It has campuses in Rome and Mumbai, achieving notable positions such as 4th in European B-School Bloomberg Businessweek, 4th in European B-School Financial Times, and 1st in overall satisfaction (WW) Global MBA Rankings. Recognized globally, SDA Bocconi is accredited by major international organizations and earned an impressive overall score of 86.8% according to Bloomberg.
IESE Business School, Spain
IESE Business School, established in 1958 as Instituto de Estudios Superiores de la Empresa in Barcelona, Spain, ranks second in Europe with an overall score of 86.1%.
Initiated by Opus Dei, a Roman Catholic organization, IESE has campuses in Madrid, New York, Munich, and São Paulo. With over 55,000 alumni worldwide, it holds the #2 spot globally according to Financial Times.
IMD Business School, Switzerland
IMD Business School, renowned worldwide for its top-ranked MBA program conducted in English, operates campuses in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Singapore. Established in 1990, IMD boasts a global reputation for excellence in management education and research, reflected in its consistently high rankings and an overall score of 85.9%.
INSEAD, France
INSEAD, founded in 1957, is a prestigious non-profit graduate business school with campuses in France, Singapore, the UAE, and the US. Admitting only 12% of students from the same nationality.
Its MBA program ranks second in producing CEOs for the world’s largest companies and sixth in generating billionaires. Globally, it is among the top 20 universities contributing to ultra high-net-worth individuals. INSEAD holds an impressive overall score of 84.9% in the Bloomberg European Business Schools ranking.
London Business School, UK
Established in 1964, London Business School (LBS) stands as a distinguished business school and a constituent college of the University of London. Offering post-graduate degrees such as Master’s in management and finance, MBA, and PhD, LBS consistently secures a place among the world’s top business schools.
With the motto “To have a profound impact on the way the world does business,” LBS is located in the heart of London, England, and boasts an additional campus in Dubai. The institution holds an impressive overall ranking score of 84.5%.
IE Business School, Spain
IE Business School, situated in Madrid, Spain, originally known as Instituto de Empresa, was established in 1973. Since 2009, it has been a part of IE University, consistently earning acclaim as one of the world’s premier business schools, with an 80.4% overall ranking in the Bloomberg European Business Schools ranking for 2023.
Mannheim Business School, Germany
Mannheim Business School, located at Mannheim Palace in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, is widely regarded as the top business school in Germany and a leading institution in Europe. With a comprehensive ranking score of 79.9% by Bloomberg, it holds triple accreditation from EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, reinforcing its status in national and international rankings.
University of St Gallen, Switzerland
The University of St. Gallen (HSG), despite being one of Switzerland’s smallest universities, boasts the country’s largest faculty for business administration. Established in 1898 in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
It has consistently ranked among Europe’s top business schools and has produced more billionaires in Europe than any other European university. According to the Bloomberg European Business Schools ranking, it holds an overall score of 78.9%.
Cambridge Judge Business School, UK
Founded in 1990 and named in honor of its benefactor – Sir Paul Judge, the University of Cambridge Judge Business School, situated in England, offers robust management education. Forbes reports a 31% acceptance rate, while Bloomberg assigns it an overall ranking score of 78.3%.
Saïd Oxford Business School, UK
Saïd Business School, established in 1996 and named after its founder – Wafic Saïd, is the business education arm of the University of Oxford. Globally renowned, it consistently ranks among the top business schools, with the Oxford MBA gaining acclaim for its focus on entrepreneurship, particularly in social entrepreneurship.
Located in Oxford, England, Saïd Oxford holds the 3rd position in the UK according to Financial Times and ranks 10th in Europe according to Bloomberg, achieving an impressive total score of 78.1 percent
Explore further in this comprehensive compilation of the Top 20 Business Schools in Europe.
SCHOOL | POSITION | LOCATION(S) | YEAR OF ESTABLISHMENT | ACCEPTANCE RATE | OVERALL RANKING (Bloomberg) |
| SDA Bocconi School of Management | 1st | Milan, Rome, and Mumbai | 1971 | 38% | 86.8% |
| IESE Business School | 2nd | Madrid, New York, Munich and Sao Paulo | 1958 | 26% | 86.1% |
| IMD Business School | 3rd | Lausanne, Switzerland | 1990 | 27.6% | 85.9% |
| INSEAD | 4th | France, Singapore, UAE and US | 1957 | 32% | 84.9% |
| London Business School | 5th | London and Dubai | 1964 | 20% | 84.5% |
| IE Business School | 6th | Madrid, Spain | 1973 | 41% | 80.4% |
| Mannheim Business School | 7th | Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany | 2005 | 17% | 79.9% |
| University of St Gallen | 8th | St Gallen, Switzerland | 1898 | 31% | 78.9% |
| Cambridge Judge Business School | 9th | England, UK | 1990 | 31% | 78.3% |
| Saïd Oxford Business School | 10th | England, UK | 1996 | 25% | 78.1% |
| ESADE Business School | 11th | Barcelona, Spain | 1958 | 37% | 77.5% |
| Cranfield School of Management | 12th | Bedfordshire, UK | 1967 | 30% | 77.3% |
| EDHEC Business School | 13th | France and London | 1906 | 25% | 75.9% |
| ESIC Business School | 14th | Barcelona, Spain | 1965 | 85% | 75.2% |
| Alliance Manchester Business School | 15th | Manchester, UK | 1965 | 45% | 75% |
| ESMT Berlin Business School | 16th | Berlin, Germany | 2002 | 30% | 73.8% |
| Copenhagen Business School | 17th | Copenhagen, Denmark | 1917 | 45% | 72.2% |
| EADA Business School | 18th | Barcelona, Spain | 1957 | 15% | 70.4% |
| POLIMI Graduate School of Management | 19th | Milan, Italy | 1979 | 28% | 67.6% |
| EAE Business School | 20th | Barcelona, Spain | 1958 | 10% | 66.9% |
