Portugal already has two MBAs among the best in the world
For the first time, Portugal has two MBAs among the world's top 100, according to the Financial Times ranking. The Lisbon MBA is now joined by the International MBA from Porto Business School.
Portugal now has two MBAs among the world’s top 100, according to the Financial Times ranking. In this edition, The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova consolidates its national leadership, while Porto Business School’s International MBA makes its debut, occupying 96th place in the table.
“The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova consolidates its position as a global benchmark in executive education in Management, remaining the number one MBA in Portugal and reaching 24th place in Europe, once again featuring in the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2026, a distinction it has received since 2015”, says a press release sent to newsrooms.
Speaking to ECO, the executive director of the programme — which brings together Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE) and Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics — said that she sees this “continued recognition” as “validation of the programme’s track record of excellence and academic rigour, international focus and holistic training, which has a significant impact on students’ professional development”.
Maria José Amich emphasises that, in this year’s edition, The Lisbon MBA once again stands out for its international component (ranking fourth worldwide in this criterion), which reflects the global experience “supported by long-standing strategic collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management”.
“All our students undertake a month-long academic immersion at the MIT Sloan campus in Boston, with classes taught by leading professors in areas such as entrepreneurship, technological innovation, artificial intelligence, data analytics and sustainability, complemented by visits to innovation centres and start-ups”, she says.
The executive director told ECO that this partnership — which has been in place for over 15 years — is “one of the pillars of the value proposition” of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova, with this experience often identified by students as “transformative not only for its academic content, but also for its exposure to a global network of talent and creativity”.
It should be noted that this partnership remains in place despite the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign nationals entering the US, particularly students. “Any changes in a country’s immigration policies are seen more as an incentive to strengthen geographical and profile diversification. The strong international component, anchored in the partnership with MIT Sloan and other collaborations with other top MBAs, continues to be decisive in offering a global MBA”, emphasises Maria José Amich, when asked about this topic.
On the other hand, in this year’s edition of the Financial Times ranking, this MBA stands out for climbing 38 places in the career progression criterion, now occupying 34th place worldwide and 12th place in the European table. On average, the gross salary of alumni from this programme is around $138,000 per year, with an estimated increase of 77% three years after completing the MBA.
“The career services and dynamic alumni community, who contribute as mentors and career counsellors, drive the professional advancement of graduates, consequently boosting the rankings and the real impact of The Lisbon MBA Católica|Nova”, argues the executive director.
The debut of the Porto Business School MBA
After more than a decade as the only Portuguese programme in this ranking, The Lisbon MBA has gained national ‘company’ this year. Porto Business School (PBS) has joined the Financial Times table with its International MBA, debuting in 96th place worldwide.
“This result reinforces the international projection of the University of Porto in management education”, the business school said in a press release.
Among the best in the world, PBS’s International MBA stands out in terms of value for money, ranking 12th in the world table. “It reflects solid results in career progression and a competitive return on investment on an international scale”, the school points out.
In addition, alumni report a 90% salary increase and the programme records full employability within three months of completion. “Porto Business School also stands out as a global benchmark in gender diversity among its teaching staff. With a balanced 50/50 ratio between women and men, PBS ranks as a global leader in this indicator in the Financial Times ranking”, the institution also points out.
In response, José Esteves, Dean of Porto Business School, states that “the inclusion of the International MBA in the Financial Times Global MBA Ranking confirms the programme’s international standards of excellence and the contribution of knowledge based on a global vision”. “More than recognition, it reinforces our responsibility to continue preparing leaders for an increasingly international context, in an AI-first school, where artificial intelligence is integrated at the heart of learning, decision-making and leadership development”, he said.
The Financial Times ranking distinguishes the 100 best MBAs in the world, according to various criteria, such as salary increases, career progression, diversity and the social responsibility component of the programmes.
