Ljubljana IMB Programme achieves best-ever result in FT ranking

The International Master Programme in Business and Organisation (IMB) at the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, has been ranked 29th in the world in this year’s Financial Times Masters in Management 2026 ranking – the best result in the programme’s history.

It rose 15 places compared with last year and 41 places over two years. The programme also achieved 4th place for “Value for Money” and 4th place for the career progress of its graduates.

The FT table publishes only the top 100 programmes worldwide, CE Report informs via the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana's official website.

The Financial Times Masters in Management ranking is one of the most influential global comparisons of the quality of management programmes. It is based on FT’s rigorous methodology, on data submitted by the schools and on a survey of alumni three years after graduation. The IMB programme has featured on the list for nine consecutive years – it first entered the ranking in 2018 – and is the only programme from the wider South-East European region on the table. This year’s assessment included the 29th generation of IMB students.

Knowledge tested in practice

Behind this result lies what sets the programme apart from conventional master’s programmes: the systematic connection of theory with practice. Students work on real business challenges together with companies; the programme brings together global corporations, leading multinationals and established, innovative Slovenian companies. This contact with the business world is part of the curriculum – it allows students to test their knowledge in the environment in which they will work, and to build a network of business contacts while still studying.

Equally important is the support students receive in their own development – from individual mentoring and career guidance to working in small groups with Slovenian and international faculty. The FT indicators confirm this approach: alongside 4th place for “Value for Money” and 4th place for career progress, 94 per cent of graduates find employment within three months of completing the programme, and alumni rated the fulfilment of the goals they had set on entry at 87 per cent (the “Aims achieved” indicator). The programme also ranked 30th for careers service and 44th for the strength of the IMB alumni network.

What does this achievement mean for UL SEB and IMB students

Prof. Dr. Tomaž Turk, Dean of the School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana, said: “Being ranked among the world’s top 30 programmes is the best result in the history of the IMB programme and one of the most visible international achievements of our School. What matters most behind that number are fourth place for ‘Value for Money’ and fourth place for career progress. For our School, both mean that our graduates receive exceptional value for the time and resources they invest, and that this programme opens doors on the most demanding international labour markets. This is a recognition of the students, faculty, alumni and partner companies who co-create the programme. At the same time it is a commitment – we do not treat the level we have reached as a destination, but as a starting point for the further development of the School’s international activities and for our overall position in the FT European Business Schools ranking.”

Photo School of Economics and Business, University of Ljubljana