Online MBA Rankings Q&A: IE Business School

In conjunction with the launch of our Online MBA Rankings 2020, we’ve had the pleasure to interview different top schools.

Here is what Martin Boehm, Dean of IE Business School, had to say.

QS: How do you feel about being named the number 1 online MBA program in QS’ ranking for yet another year?

MB: QS has been a respected source of rankings, one with a particularly necessary global perspective since its founding, and so it is indeed a great honor to be ranked at the top in the latest Online MBA rankings.

QS: IE Business School’s online MBA program scored a perfect score for Employability, why do you think this is?

MB: IE’s Talent & Careers Department understand how important the career path for all our students and graduates is. The department is made up of a growing team from all over the world who work closely with more than 3,500 international recruiters.

QS: Similarly, the program scored very highly for Faculty and Teaching and Class Experience indicators. Why do you think this is? Is there something IE is doing above and beyond other business schools?

MB: The faculty in IE’s Online MBA program has a distinctly international profile – one which mirrors that of our student body – and they are dedicated to excellence in their research as well as their teaching and professional activities, and they bring this passion and knowledge into the online classroom. Furthermore, the faculty are trained in the special art of teaching online and are focused on building connections and fostering participation between students.

Another advantage of our Online MBA is the small class size. None of our classes cater to more than 35 students, which allows them to build very tight relationships with their peers and to benefit from an intense interaction with our faculty. I really feel this high-touch approach has been our secret to success.

QS: How important do you think online programs are today? Especially amidst the COVID-19 pandemic?

MB: Twenty years ago, IE Business School pioneered online education in Europe with the launch of our blended programs. This background and expertise of our faculty and staff has enabled us to accelerate and to remain 100% active even during the severity of the COVID-19 crisis. 

This current virtual environment that we all now find ourselves in, thanks to lockdowns around the world and people working and studying from their homes, shows just how important it is to have digital literacy and skills.  This is how we will live and work moving forward and thus it is essential to learn how to navigate between face-to-face and online environments. This is a particular strength of our online MBA students and alumni.

QS: What can we expect in the future from IE’s online MBA?

MB: Innovation is part of our DNA. Thus, we will constantly adjust the content as well as the pedagogy of our Online MBA to meet the needs of our recruiters. In the next academic year, we will be strengthening even more the international scope of our program by introducing dedicated streams for the Americas and Asia.