Our EMBA program was already widely legitimized by practice, as evidenced by the positions held by its 1,800 graduates over 31 years of existence. Today, it is also officially recognized internationally, placing it among the only 30 EMBA programs worldwide to benefit from this.
The University of Geneva’s MBA was created in 1992 within what was then HEC Geneva, now the Geneva Business School of Economics and Management (GSEM). Since then, it has continuously grown, becoming an Executive MBA in 2001, benefiting from the academic excellence of its professors from Geneva and beyond, to remain at the pinnacle of education. Several successive versions have allowed the integration of societal and economic evolutions, like those today of good governance and responsible leadership in response to the economic, social, and environmental needs of society. Today, 1,800 individuals have benefited from the program, coming not only from Geneva and Switzerland but also from the entire world, notably from France, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, and the Americas. This wide diffusion, as well as the professional evolution of its graduates, already attested to the real impact of the Geneva EMBA. An official international recognition confirms it today as a member of the very exclusive circle of the world’s best EMBA programs.
The Association of MBAs (AMBA), which accredits the best international MBAs, had already certified our program since 2007. In December 2023, it officially recognized the MBA of Geneva among the top 2% of global Business Schools.
The three points highlighted by AMBA to justify this ranking are, in addition to the high quality of teaching and the international diversity of participants, the professional impact, confidence, and initiative that participants gain, particularly through the development of their self-leadership.
” During the accreditation process conducted by AMBA, members of the accreditation panel, representing senior management commended the teaching of soft skills at the school, which was exemplified by the ‘Self Leadership’ module. Students said they were able to build confidence, personal awareness and strong self-orientation.”.
This accreditation adds to the AACSB accreditation currently being obtained by the Faculty itself (GSEM) and the 2023 ranking of the University of Geneva among the global top 50 (Shanghai ranking, ARWU). Collectively, this means that the Geneva EMBA belongs to the exclusive circle of 30 MBAs in the world (including 10 in Europe) that benefit from this triple international recognition.
We are, of course, proud of this official certification of our work and its impact for the benefit of our graduates. It rewards 31 years of teaching, innovation, but also of continuous listening to our students and the companies of the ecosystem. It supports our recent partnerships with the Geneva Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIG), the Federation of Enterprises in Romandy (FER-Geneva), the Foundation for the Attractiveness of Geneva (FLAG), or with some thirty companies such as Baume & Mercier, BearingPoint, or Kempinski. It allows us to certify the quality and impact of our curriculum to those who have not yet heard of it. But it would be nothing without the words of the students themselves, those who experience personal and professional transformation through the Geneva EMBA program. For instance, the message from Maju Sandino, a recent graduate in 2023, is one among many:
” Standing at the end of my EMBA program, I am flooded with reflections about my journey. I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude to you. Throughout this program, your teachings, support, and particularly the insights from the self-leadership module have profoundly influenced and transformed me. I want you to know you have changed my perspective on life and career in a profound manner; my path and direction now have a new and inspiring goal, and just one year after this transformation, I already see how this change has had a positive influence within my team. Your guidance has been invaluable, and I genuinely appreciate your lasting impact on my academic, career, and personal growth”.
And now? For us, it’s not about resting on our laurels, but rather, with the support of this international recognition, to contribute even more to a flourishing and responsible economy by developing self-leaders who are capable of thriving in their professional lives while positively impacting their organization and society.
Last but not least. Belonging to an elite does not make us elitist. As a public university, our mission is to serve the greatest number, and our tuition fees remain intentionally the lowest in the market. We walk the talk.
