The Economist ranks UF MBA among world’s best

Gainesville, Fla. – The Florida MBA program was named #17 among US public schools in the 2007 edition of the annual Which MBA? guide. Published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, it provides background information on the worldʹs Top 100 MBA programs. Overall, UF’s MBA program was ranked #39 in the US and #79 in the world. Here are some of the highlights:

• Internationalism of alumni: 1st among US Publics and 19th worldwide
• Education experience: 2nd among US Publics and 15th worldwide
• Faculty quality: 5th among US Publics and 14th worldwide
• Potential to network: 6th among US Publics and 40th worldwide
• Breadth of alumni network: 10th among US Publics and 40th worldwide
• Jobs found through Career Services: 15th among US Publics and 58th worldwide

Over the past 18 years, the Economist Intelligence Unit has regularly surveyed MBA students about why they take an MBA. Four factors consistently emerge:

• to open new career opportunities and/or further current career;
• personal development and educational experience;
• to increase salary;
• the potential to network.

Data were collected during spring 2007 using two web‐based questionnaires, one for business schools and one for students and recent graduates. Around 20,000 students and graduates participated. All data received from schools were subject to verification checks, including, where possible, comparison with historical data, peer schools and other published sources. Student and graduate questionnaires were audited for multiple or false entries. The rankings are based not just on data collected this year, but on a weighted average of the past three years. Data and survey responses for 2007 (50%), 2006 (30%) and 2005 (20%) were used in order to provide a more comprehensive picture of the school; changes in educational provision or job placements are reflected gradually, much as improvements would affect students.