The EMLV MBA appears for the second time in the QS Global Full-Time MBA Rankings. In the 2026 edition, the programme ranks 10th in France, confirming its position in an international reference ranking.
This result is based on the QS Global MBA Rankings methodology, which combines academic reputation, employer perception and institutional data to assess MBA programmes worldwide.
The QS Global MBA: A global ranking built on multiple data sources
The QS Global MBA Rankings highlight leading MBA programmes across the world. Data is collected through three complementary surveys: the QS Global Employer Survey, the QS Global Academic Survey and a survey completed by business schools.
The survey completed by schools focuses on quantitative indicators such as graduate salaries, class profile and career outcomes. To be included in the rankings, programmes must be taught mainly on campus, delivered in a full-time or full-time equivalent format, and have an average class size of at least 15 participants.
All ranked programmes must also hold at least one major international accreditation from AACSB, AMBA, or EFMD (EQUIS) and provide data for the majority of indicators assessed by QS.
QS Full-Time Global MBA Rankings 2026: Top 10 French MBAs
In total, 10 French business schools are featured in the QS Full-Time Global MBA Rankings 2026
- HEC Paris
- INSEAD
- ESCP Europe
- ESSEC Business School
- EDHEC Business School
- EMLyon Business School
- Grenoble Ecole de Mnagement
- Audencia Business School
- IESEG School of Management
- EMLV Business School
Five key indicators and thirteen assessment criteria
The QS Global MBA Rankings are based on 13 criteria grouped into five main indicators:
- Employability (40%)
- Entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes (15%)
- Return on investment (20%)
- Thought leadership (15%)
- Class and faculty diversity (10%)
This structure aims to reflect both academic quality and professional impact over time.
Employability as a central indicator
Employability represents the largest share of the ranking. It is largely informed by the QS Global Employer Survey, which accounts for 35% of the total score.
This survey, conducted for more than 20 years, collects feedback from employers worldwide on the business schools they prefer to recruit MBA graduates from. Hundreds of thousands of nominations are gathered across sectors and industries, including technology, finance, consulting and industry. More recent employer responses are given greater weight in the ranking.
The employability indicator also includes the employment rate three months after graduation, measured in accordance with MBACSEA standards.
Entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes
The alumni outcomes component evaluates the professional trajectories of graduates who hold executive and board-level positions in major international companies. QS analyses publicly available data associated with more than 50,000 CEOs, executives and board members worldwide.
Entrepreneurship is assessed separately to reflect the growing interest among MBA participants in launching their own ventures after graduation.
Schools report this data using MBACSEA standards, acknowledging that entrepreneurial career paths may have different timelines and return profiles.
Measuring return on investment over ten years
Return on investment is calculated using several data points, including a 10-year ROI metric. This approach compares average salaries before and after the MBA, accounting for tuition fees, cost of living, and forgone earnings during the programme.
The QS methodology also accounts for salary progression over time and includes a graded adjustment for graduates pursuing entrepreneurial careers. A complementary indicator, the payback period, measures the average time required to recoup the cost of the MBA, currently around 3.5 years globally.
Thought leadership and academic reputation
Thought leadership is assessed through academic reputation and research impact. The QS Academic Survey gathers nominations from academics worldwide, asking them to identify institutions they consider strong in their field.
Research impact is measured using data from Elsevier’s Scopus database, while the proportion of faculty holding a PhD is also considered as an indicator of academic depth.
Diversity within the MBA environment
The class and faculty diversity indicator evaluates gender balance and international representation. QS analyses the proportion of female students and faculty members, as well as the international composition of both the teaching staff and the MBA cohort.
The EMLV MBA within the QS framework
Under the academic leadership of Professor Fawaz Baddar Alhussan, the EMLV MBA meets all QS eligibility criteria. The programme is delivered full-time, on campus, in English, and is based in Paris La Défense, Europe’s leading business district.
The MBA is AACSB- and AMBA-accredited and is delivered within the interdisciplinary environment of the De Vinci Higher Education, which combines management, engineering, and digital creation.
Programme profile and career trajectories
The one-year EMLV MBA is designed for experienced professionals seeking to consolidate their expertise, transition into new roles, or support a career transition.
Learning formats include core courses, applied projects, lab immersions and a capstone project developed with corporate partners.
Graduates progress into roles across consulting, financial services, technology, energy, and consumer goods, including senior consultant, startup founder, senior financial controller, or senior digital transformation consultant.
Like our triple international accreditation, this represents additional recognition of our efforts to deliver programmes that are academically rigorous, professionally relevant, and internationally attractive, explains Valérie Fernandes, Dean of EMLV.
Designed for experienced professionals and entrepreneurs with at least three years of work experience, the EMLV full-time MBA combines applied learning and close connections with the business world to support career development in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
