NHH SURGES AHEAD IN GLOBAL MASTER’S RANKING

Student Karoline Prytz Berset
Master’s student Karoline Prytz Berset is not surprised that NHH performs strongly in the international ranking. Photo: Bjørn EGil Halvorsen and Silje K. Robinson
By Bjørn Egil Halvorsen

8 September 2025 12:23

NHH SURGES AHEAD IN GLOBAL MASTER’S RANKING

NHH makes a strong advance in Financial Times’ international ranking of master’s programmes, and is now the best in Norway.

Financial Times (FT) has now published its annual ranking of full-time master’s programmes at international business schools – known as Masters in Management.

NHH is ranked number 83, up seven places from 2023. Last year, the school was not included on the list.

`It feels right and well-deserved that NHH is on the list of the world’s top 100. We interpret the progress as a result of hard and continuous work to improve the programme,´ says Rector Helge Thorbjørnsen.

Ahead of BI

The list is topped by St. Gallen in Switzerland, followed by HEC Paris and Insead in France. BI Norwegian Business School is also included, at number 88.

Helge Thorbjørnsen rector and Karoline Prytz Berset student
Rector Helge Thorbjørnsen has ambitions to further strengthen the master’s programme. Student Karoline Prytz Berset has big ambitions for her future career – possibly abroad. Photo: Helge Skodvin and Bjørn Egil Halvorsen

`That’s how it should be, of course. But I’m generally pleased that Norway has two institutions on the top 100 list,´ says Thorbjørnsen, who is also impressed by the Stockholm School of Economics, ranked ninth in the prestigious ranking.

The FT ranking evaluates schools based on scores in more than twenty different categories.

`I’m particularly pleased that NHH performs so well in ESG and sustainability-related categories. We also score well on faculty expertise,´ says Thorbjørnsen.

The FT-rankings

Financial Times (FT) annually ranks various study programmes at top international business schools.
The five sub-rankings that make up FT’s overall European Business Schools ranking are (weighting in parentheses):
 
  • Global MBA (25%)
  • Executive Education Open Programmes (12.5%)
  • Executive Education Custom Programmes (12.5%)
  • Masters in Management (25%)
  • Executive MBA (25%)

Accelerating ambitions

If Rector Helge Thorbjørnsen gets his way, attention will only increase going forward. This year, more than 2,400 applicants listed NHH’s integrated master’s programme as their first choice.

`We’re about to begin a full review and renewal of our Master in Management programme. The ambition is, of course, to climb even further in the rankings,´ says Thorbjørnsen.