More Female MBAs, But Still A Long Way To Go

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Business schools are doing a better job of recruiting and enrolling more female MBA students, but they have a long way to go.

That’s one unmistakable conclusion from the latest gender-specific data published by The Financial Times in its recently published Global MBA ranking. Among the top 100-ranked schools, 19 now have female student numbers over 40%. This figure has almost doubled from just 10 schools last year; 31 schools have female faculty rates above 30%, which is an increase of eight schools from last year.

A number of schools have made considerable improvements in all three areas, female students, faculty and board members. These schools are:

ODDLY, THE TOP-RANKED SCHOOLS ARE FALLING BEHIND

However it is the top-ranked schools, those that have the most influence and prestige for students, that are falling behind.

In our sample of the top 13 business schools, about half (six) have female student representation over 40%, with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management both leading at 43%. Only one school has student numbers below 30%. The school that fares worst in this measure is Spain’s IE Business School, with a low rate of just 29% female students.

Across these same schools, only the IE Business School has female faculty numbers above 30%. In fact, almost half of the top 13 schools still have female faculty numbers below 20%. These schools still have not fathomed the importance of gender balance at the front of the classroom.

So, how have things progressed in comparison to where these 13* schools were last year?

The figures above indicate there has been a positive movement towards achieving a more representative female student community over the last year.

Business schools are waking up to the fact they need more women in all areas of their institutions. Focusing on increasing female student numbers is the first step.

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