The first thing that must be noted is that all Rankings in the media are subjective. All rankings are weighted to different criteria and are carried out by different methods.

The following criteria are used in weighting the WCW EMBA / MBA Rankings.

The rankings are carried out by the WCW Alumni network, and therefore constitute their opinion, according to the criterion below:

• Salary today:
  An average of salaries three years after graduation

• Weighted salary:
  The 'average' salary today with adjustments for salary variation between industry sectors

• Salary percentage increase:
  The percentage increase in salary from the beginning of the MBA to three years after graduation

• Value for money:
  The value for money criteria is a short term indicator calculated using the salary earned by alumni three years after graduation and course costs

• Career progress:
  The degree to which the alumni have moved up their career ladder after graduating. Progression is measured through changes in level of seniority and the size of the company in which they are employed.

• Aims achieved:
  The extent to which alumni have fulfilled their goals or reason for doing an EMBA / MBA.

• Placement success:
  Percentage of alumni that gained employment through the placement service of the academic institution.

• Alumni recommendation:
  Alumni who were asked to name three business schools from which they would recruit EMBA / MBA graduates. Their own school could not be in the list to prevent bias.

• International mobility:
  A rating system that measures the degree of international mobility based on employment movements of alumni since graduation.

• International students:
  Percentage of international students

• Faculty:
  Quality of faculty, reputation and research capabilities

Participants included:

• WCW registered Alumni members
• mba4success former clients who are not registered alumni members
• Recruiters (who are part of the WCW Alumni Network)

Rankings are weighted by what the alumni feel are the most important issues to potential applicants. International diversity and placement success are also key factors of interest to candidates and influence the rankings. The choice you make, will literally, impact on the rest of your life. Choose wisely. The statistics not only change from year to year but also the schools are ranked by different groups: the deans rate the schools in terms of academic performance; alumni rate the schools on the power of their career placement services; corporations rate the schools on the students perceived skills; and others compare starting salaries when students leave the schools.

By examining all the available sources and rankings, you might even discover opportunities that you previously never considered.

2005 marks the third year in which the WCW Alumni has published its annual survey of international executive education rankings on open and customized programmes. Schools selected were chosen on the worth of their business, diversity, job responsibilities of the participants, gender ratios, age of participants, course design, new skills and long term learning, fulfillment of objectives teaching materials, business school facilities, follow-up, food and accommodation.

What was particularly striking is that on open programmes, 24% of the participants held MBA degrees. Students who attend programmes tend to come predominately from the region 87%.

Questionnaires were sent out to our alumni, who are corporate purchasers and clients of these programmes known to the alumni. Rankings were weighted according to the level of importance determined by respondents attached to the courses, school, and environment. Additional statistics about the schools were gathered from information published in the public domain.

We freely state that these rankings like all others are subjective and remain the exclusive judgment of the WCW alumni.