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The concourse in the new Evans Hall. Photo by Tony Rinaldo

The concourse in the new Evans Hall. Photo by Tony Rinaldo

A Ranking of the World’s Best Business School Facilities

 

Spacious parking? Check.

A Starbucks? Check.

Giant high definition screens in the auditoriums? Check.

Yes, business schools are big business. Like any luxury product, quality is only part of the appeal. Packaging also plays a part in branding. And that’s why the building is so key to making a statement. If you’re a prospective student (or donor) paying a visit, you want to be awed. And you’re looking for clues. That’s why every element of a building – from design to materials to artwork – tells a story. They reflect the values and aspirations of an institution, while offering comfort, convenience, and inspiration to its inhabitants.

And that brings up a question: What are the best business school facilities in the world? In November, Top Management Degrees attempted a qualitative ranking of the most beautiful business schools.  Now, The Economist takes a more holistic look by ranking business school facilities based on student assessment.

The Economist readily admits these surveys are an imprecise and flawed tool. They note that their survey covered more than just the buildings, focusing on these two areas: “…the “quality of, and access to, library, computers, databases, other facilities/services”; and on the “attitude of programme/school administrators.” However, The Economist added that respondents could’ve “interpreted the term “facilities” differently” What’s more, the methodology “does not control for the fact that a student at one school will have visited few others, making direct comparison difficult. It is, in essence, a customer-satisfaction survey rather than an empirical assessment.”

The Economist also points out that “Yale (in 75th place for facilities) and Kellogg (77th) have completed, or are planning, costly new buildings.” In particular, Yale’s Evans Hall, with its curvy glass walls and changing colors, should make a sharp jump next year. And no one at The Economist is quite sure why Harvard Business School ranks only 27th.

That said, here are the 10 best business school facilities, as surveyed by business school students:

Rank School Economist Rank Country
1. ESMT European School of Management & Technology 30 Germany
2. University of Bath School of Management 20 U.K.
3. Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business 2 U.S.
4. Texas Christian University Neeley School of Business 61 U.S.
5. UC-San Diego Rady School of Management 81 U.S.
6. University of Strathclyde Business School 40 U.K.
7. University of Virginia Darden School of Business 4 U.S.
8. University of Chicago Booth School of Business 1 U.S.
9. Cranfield School of Management 46 U.K.
10. Indiana University Kelley School of Business 35 U.S.

To learn about the latest business school construction projects, click here.

Source: The Economist

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