UCD Smurfit School has Ireland’s only MBA ranked in Financial Times’ global Top 100
16 February 2026
The (opens in a new window)Full-Time MBA programme at (opens in a new window)UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School has been ranked 73rd globally in the latest (opens in a new window)Financial Times MBA Rankings.
It remains Ireland’s only full-time MBA programme among the prestigious top 100 list.
The placement builds on the recent success of the UCD Smurfit School’s ranking among the European Business Schools by the FT, with 2026 marking the tenth consecutive year the School placed in the European Top 30.
“We pride ourselves on consistent excellence, both in terms of the academic rigour and experience gained in the MBA programme, as well as outstanding outcomes for our students over time,” said (opens in a new window)Professor Anthony Brabazon, Dean of UCD College of Business.
“A key driver supporting our rankings is the ‘ROI factor’ in our Value for Money ranking, which consistently ranks in the top 20 globally for return on investment, which presents an extremely attractive investment for those wishing to advance their career."
The Financial Times ranks MBA programmes based on several criteria as part of its analysis.
Among UCD Smurfit School’s top marks was the Salary Percentage Increase category, where Smurfit MBA alumni saw an impressive 100% salary increase in their salary three years post-graduation.
In addition, the school ranked 14th in the world in the Value for Money category.
UCD Smurfit School recently strengthened its MBA curriculum by embedding artificial intelligence and data literacy into multiple modules so that participants learn how to exploit these tools confidently to improve analysis and decision-making.
This is complemented by (opens in a new window)LEAP, the School’s award-winning leadership and employability advancement module, which combines structured assessment, coaching, employer engagement and alumni mentoring to translate the MBA experience into accelerated career progression.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations (with materials from Beth Gormley, UCD College of Business)
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
