Indiana University

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Last modified: Monday, May 12, 2008

Kelley School of Business executive programs climb six places in 'Financial Times' worldwide ranking

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Customized executive education programs offered by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business returned to the top 25 in the world as ranked by the Financial Times today (May 12) in its annual survey of international non-degree programs.

In a field dominated by business schools from across Europe and North America, the Kelley School ranked 25th overall -- moving up six places from 31st last year -- and 15th among U.S. institutions in the London-based financial newspaper's ranking of customized executive education programs. No other business schools in Indiana were ranked.

Among public universities, Kelley's program overall is fourth in the world and first in a category called "future use" -- a measure of companies whose leaders say they'll use the same business school again.

John F. Cady, executive director of Kelley Executive Partners, was pleased with the results given the highly competitive nature among providers of executive education worldwide.

"Executive education has become increasingly competitive and is now dominated by non-U.S. providers who are focused on global clients and programs," Cady said. "Only 22 U.S. universities even made the cut of the top 62. We're thrilled that we improved our standings from last year.

"We are going to continue to implement our strategy of building enduring relationships with firms which have institutional relationships with IU and, in doing so, anticipate that we will continue to be among the top ranked university executive education providers in the world," Cady added.

The rankings are compiled from responses to two sets of questionnaires. The first is a client survey -- compiled from telephone interviews of the top corporate executive education purchasers -- and the other is a survey of statistical data completed by the business schools. The data from the client questionnaire accounts for 80 percent of the school's final score.

The Kelley School was ranked in the top 25 in the world in seven categories. Its faculty and quality of teaching was ranked 12th best. It was ranked 14th in future use, 16th in preparation, 21st in overseas programs and follow-up, 23rd in program design and 25th in new skills and learning.

"Having a direct impact on business practice is an important component of our mission," said Dan Smith, dean of the Kelley School. "Our customized executive development programs achieve this aim by leveraging our competency in the development of sustainable value-added partnerships with global companies. The Financial Times rankings are important in that they suggest that the clients we serve indeed view us as among the world's best at meeting their talent development needs."

The Kelley School has been a leader in custom-designed executive education since 1968, when it established its first educational partnership to link program content with the strategic business objectives of the firm. Kelley Executive Partners' custom product line has grown extensively in scope and variety as it works closely with its clients. The value of these programs is measured not only inside the classroom in terms of innovative learning environments, but outside the classroom in terms of improved organizational performance, breakthrough thinking and business results.

The Financial Times rankings follow recent recognition by Business Week magazine for other Kelley School programs. The magazine ranked Kelley's undergraduate program as 16th best in the nation and Kelley's full-time MBA program was ranked 18th. The Financial Times earlier this year also ranked marketing programs in Kelley's full-time MBA program as second best worldwide and its statistics curricula seventh.


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