Letter in the Financial Times on business school rankings

CSER postdoc Ellen Quigley and David Pitt-Watson co-wrote a letter in the Financial Times signed by two dozen business and civil society leaders, academics and representatives of business-school accreditation agencies. It draws attention to the new Business School Rankings for the 21st Century report and praises the FT's “complete review of their methodology" on business school rankings.

Full letter:

Business school rankings should have wider criteria

We, the undersigned business and civil society leaders, academics and representatives of business-school accreditation agencies, congratulate the FT on announcing a “complete review” of its business school rankings methodology. We have recently undergone a sweeping consultation ourselves, culminating in a report launched at Davos. We hope that our findings will be of use to Work & Careers editor Isabel Berwick and her team as they undertake such an ambitious project, and we are pleased to offer our assistance. More generally, we would like to express our support for the efforts of rankings publications to incorporate environmental, social and governance criteria into evaluations, in recognition of the significant risks and opportunities associated with these issues.

We laud the FT’s first step in that direction with its introduction of a CSR criterion, as business schools tend to be significantly influenced by these criteria. We hope that, in response, business schools will truly integrate such issues into their curricula.

The report references other changes as well. Rankings could be improved by de-emphasising salaries, crediting schools that educate graduates who work for non-profits, creating space for practical knowledge, and other suggested actions that would prepare business school graduates for the 21st century. We hope that additional criteria will go beyond narrow numerical metrics, allowing for variation as business schools pursue different goals.

We are willing to collaborate with rankings publications as we all move toward a conception of business and finance as tools for building a safer, fairer, and more sustainable world. Business schools play an influential role in society to guide future decision makers in the choices they make, and we support efforts to prepare the next generation for what lies ahead.

• Chris Higson Academic Director, Finance Programmes, London Business School
• Chris Moos Academic, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
• Christoph Loch Dean, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Clémentine Robert President, oikos International
• Colin Melvin Partner, Arkadiko Partners
• David Pitt-Watson (co-author), Executive Fellow, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Donna Rapaccioli Dean, Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University
• Elizabeth Corley Senior Advisor and former CEO, Allianz Global Investors; Chair of the Implementation Taskforce on Growing Social Impact Investing in the UK
• Ellen Quigley (co-author), Research Associate, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge; Postdoctoral Researcher, Centre for Endowment Asset Management, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Elroy Dimson Professor of Finance, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Eric Cornuel Director General & CEO, European Foundation for Management Development
• Frank Blasio Director of Thought Leadership, Coalition for Inclusive Capitalism
• Hanane EL Kouari Executive Director, Association of African Business SchoolsIvo Matser CEO, Academy of Business in Society
• Jane Stevensen Director, JS GlobalJohn Belgrove Senior Partner, Aon
• John North Executive Director, Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative
• Julia Christensen Hughes Dean, College of Business and Economics, University of Guelph
• Julian Huppert Director, Intellectual Forum, Jesus College, University of Cambridge
• Katrin Muff Mission Possible Foundation
• Lauren Xie Pershing Square Scholar, University of OxfordLise Kingo CEO and Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact
• Peter Tufano Peter Moores Dean, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
• Robert Eccles Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School; Visiting Professor, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
• Sangeet Chowfla President and Chief Executive Officer, Graduate Management Admission Council
• Sarah Carter Executive Director, Centre for Endowment Asset Management, Cambridge Judge Business School
• Seán Ó hÉigeartaigh Executive Director, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge
• Simon Beard Research Associate, Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge
• Steve Waygood Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Aviva Investors
• Thomas Dyllick Professor Emeritus, University Delegate for Responsibility and Sustainability, University of St. Gallen
• Mette Morsing Senior Adviser to UN PRME