SMU MBA and Applied Finance Rankings – 2027 QS Release
Singapore Management University (SMU) announced that its Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme has risen to 3rd place in Asia and 41st globally in the 2027 QS Global MBA Rankings, marking the highest regional position the programme has ever attained. This ascent continues a three‑year upward trajectory: the MBA was ranked 6th in Asia in 2024, 5th in 2025, 4th in 2026, and now 3rd in 2027. Within Singapore, the SMU MBA is the second‑highest ranked programme and remains within the top 10 % of the more than 400 MBA programmes evaluated worldwide.
The ranking is underpinned by gains in employer recognition and graduate employment, with the MBA achieving a 4th‑place ranking in Asia for Thought Leadership. In the latest graduate employment survey, 86 % of MBA graduates secured employment within six months of graduation.
SMU’s Master of Science in Applied Finance (MAF) also performed strongly, ranking 3rd in Asia and 39th globally in the 2027 QS Master's in Finance Rankings. It is the only finance master’s programme from Singapore included in the rankings, which this year expanded from 248 programmes in the prior year to 319 programmes. The MAF secured a 4th‑place Asian ranking for Thought Leadership and placed 19th globally for Thought Leadership, while the MBA ranked 33rd globally in the same metric.
Both programmes benefit from a faculty where almost all teaching staff hold doctorates, bringing deep academic expertise and research insights into the classroom. Professor Shantanu Bhattacharya, Deputy Dean (Education) of SMU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Business, stated that the dual 3rd‑place Asian rankings affirm the quality of SMU’s business education, the calibre of its faculty, and the value placed on its graduates by employers. He highlighted the 86 % MBA and 78 % MAF employment rates within six months, emphasizing the university’s focus on delivering education that equips students for dynamic Asian markets.
The 2027 QS Global MBA and Master's in Finance rankings assessed more than 400 MBA programmes and 319 Master's in Finance programmes worldwide, respectively. Rankings are based on extensive feedback from employers and academics and evaluate programmes across five criteria: Employability, Alumni Outcomes, Thought Leadership, Value for Money, and Diversity.
About Singapore Management University
Established in 2000, SMU serves over 13,000 students across six schools and two colleges, offering bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programmes in disciplines such as Accountancy, Business, Economics, Information Systems, Integrative Studies, Law, and Social Sciences, alongside executive development and continuing education. SMU graduates are consistently ranked among the most employable in Singapore and command some of the highest mean starting salaries. The university’s city campus provides strategic linkages with business, government, and the broader community in Singapore and beyond.
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