By Sonia Bhasin

Staff Writer

For students looking to earn a graduate degree at a business school outside of the United States, there are a number of options available at schools whose programs are recognized worldwide.  These top notch schools are found in countries all over the world, from Canada to China and everywhere in between.  Below we will briefly profile a few of the schools that consistently appear in rankings of top international business schools.

Queen’s School of  Business, Kingston, Canada

Queen’s School of Business, located in Ontario, Canada, offers a wide range of programs.  The most popular program at this school, known as the Queen’s full-time MBA, has a duration of 12 months.  This particular program has been ranked #1 in the world, outside of the United States, by BusinessWeek magazine.  This school is also home to Canada’s most respected Executive MBA program, delivered nationally via videoconference to cities across Canada and also available through the school’s Ottawa classroom. The Cornell – Queen’s Executive MBA program provides an international perspective to students from both sides of the border who earn both a Queen’s MBA and a Cornell MBA. Queen’s Accelerated MBA for Business Graduates is the first program of its kind designed specifically for people with an undergraduate degree in business.  Queen’s Masters of Global Management is a comprehensive program of international business content, international experience, and cross-cultural learning that allows students to earn a world-class degree in 12 months.

http://business.queensu.ca/index.php

IE Business School, Madrid, Spain

IE Business School, founded in 1973, is located in the vibrant urban city of Madrid.  This school boasts a variety of graduate programs such as the Masters in Management, MBA, Executive MBA, Master of Laws, specialized masters, and various doctoral and executive education programs.  The wide range of programs available allows students to select their own path in the business world.  IE Business School students use innovative online and presentation based learning methods, which provide students with a unique learning experience. This is done by having classes take place both online and in the classroom; in fact, IE Business School offers the opportunity to earn a world-class MBA solely online.  IE Business School also boasts over 53 exchange programs with international universities.  Entrepreneurship is a prime focus of the MBA degree program.

http://www.ie.edu/business/

China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai, China

CEIBS was established in 1994, but already has a prominent position among the top business schools in the world.  CEIBS unique bridge between Europe and China gives the school an international touch along with its strategic partnership with the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in the United States, among other schools in Germany, France, and Spain.  CEIBS offers MBA, Executive MBA, and various executive education programs. The Executive MBA program is the largest in the world, with over 700 enrolled students, and is ranked third worldwide.  Within one decade, CEIBS has become the go to school for students in China, in addition to students from around the globe.

http://www.ceibs.edu/

INSEAD, Fontainbleau, France, and Singapore

INSEAD is one of the world’s largest graduate schools in business.  This business school touts itself as a truly global business school; indeed, the motto of the school is “The Business School for the World.”  This truly differentiates the school from other business schools across the globe. INSEAD has two physical campus locations, with campuses in both France and Singapore, along with centers in Israel and Abu Dhabi.  MBA students have the option of moving between the two campuses.  INSEAD also has a strategic alliance with the prestigious Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.  INSEAD offers MBA, Executive MBA, and PhD programs.

http://www.insead.edu/

London Business School, London, United Kingdom

London Business School is consistently ranked as one of the top business schools in the world.  The university is indeed a global one as well, with the student body at any given time representing over 121 countries, world-renowned faculty from more than 30 countries, and alumni based in over 120 countries.  The location of the school, in London, also offers students a unique opportunity to live and study in a truly global city.  London Business School offers a rich portfolio of degree and non-degree programs to suit students and executives at every stage of their career.  The following degree programs are offered through the school: MBA, Executive MBA, EMBA-Global, Dubai-London Executive MBA, Sloan Fellowship MSc, Masters in Finance, and PhD.

http://www.london.edu/

 Indian Institute of Managment (IIMA), Ahmedabad, India

In just over 40 years, IIMA has grown from being India’s premier business school to one recognized internationally.  Through collaborations with universities around the world, including Harvard University, IIMA offers students a unique blend of Eastern and Western values.  In addition to the traditional MBA program, IIMA also offers an MBA with an Agri-Business emphasis, a one year executive MBA program, and a doctoral program involving research training with students choosing from ten unique areas of specialization.

http://www.iima.ac.in/

Financial Times MBA Rankings

1. University of Pennsylvania—Wharton, U.S.
2. London School of Business, U.K.
3. Columbia BS, U.S.
4. Stanford GSB, U.S.
5. Harvard BS, U.S.
6. INSEAD, France/Singapore
7. MIT— Sloan SM, U.S.
8. IE Business School, Spain
9. University of Chicago GSB, U.S.
10. University of Cambridge— Judge BS, U.K.