CURTIN University’s Graduate School of Business has improved its ranking in an international measure of MBA programs, but the relevance of the process is being debated.
The school has been ranked the 46th best institution to study the full-time master of business administration in The Economist’s annual survey – an improvement on its 58th position last year.
In 2007, Curtin was ranked 80th in the list of 100 institutions worldwide.
But its continued improvements have not been enough for it to edge in front of east coast institutions.
The University of Queensland School of Business was ranked higher, coming in at 27th, while the University of Melbourne’s School of Business broke into the top 40 worldwide with a ranking of 38th.
The University of Western Australia was absent from The Economist rankings, as postgraduate director Paul Crompton said the process produced “questionable” results.
“Any time you have Curtin ranking above the likes of Oxford and Cambridge you have to raise an eyebrow,” he said.
UWA opted to instead enter The Australian Financial Review’s biennial survey, which Associate Professor Crompton said was more credible.
In the 2011 survey, UWA was rated best in Western Australia, and seventh in the country. Melbourne Business School was rated best overall in the AFR survey, with the University of Queensland coming in second and Monash University’s Department of Management rated third.
That survey did not involve a submission from Curtin, however, which preferred to gain ranking in the international surveys.
The Economist’s rankings are determined according to results from two separate surveys – one on the curriculum offered, and one aimed at the students’ experience of the program.
School director Alison Preston said Curtin had made a concerted effort in recent years to improve how students experienced the course and what they gained in addition to the degree.
“We used to focus simply on the curriculum,” Professor Preston said.
“Now it’s about much more than that.”
The change had begun with the introduction of an interview process during the selection phase.
“Part of the driver for that interview process is to ensure that we have the right match and that they understand what they are undertaking,” Professor Preston said.
The course also requires students to commit a certain amount of time to activities outside of study, such as attending networking events.
“We coach the students on how to network effectively, (because) we know the labour market is not what you know but who you know,” Professor Preston said.
The Economist highlighted the high wages achieved by graduates of the Curtin course as a driver for its improving worldwide standing; graduates were able to secure employment in roles paying $150,000, on average, in the first year after graduation.
