Eduniversal Ranking: 6 Global Deans React

Pedro Oliveira, dean of Nova SBE

Professor Pedro Oliveira, Dean of Nova School of Business & Economics

P&Q: What initiatives or strategic priorities over the past year do you believe most directly contributed to your school maintaining the 5 Palmes of Excellence designation?

In 2025, Nova SBE continued its remarkable growth in internationalization, initiated in 2018 with the School’s move to our new campus next to the Atlantic Ocean.

The positions in Financial Times rankings, the ratio of international faculty, the number of international students and nationalities in the Pre-Experience Programs, and international placements have all seen significant increases. For example, our Master’s in Management is now 4th worldwide; our Master’s in Finance is 6^th worldwide; and our Executive Education is 15th in Custom Programs in the World. In 2025, 56% of our core faculty (compared to 25% in 2017), 18% of BSc, and 70% of MSc represent more than 100 nationalities.

As a recognition of those developments, Nova SBE was chosen for its academic excellence in the 2025 Eduniversal survey by 370 Deans from over 1,000 top business schools.

How has your school expanded or strengthened its global network, partnerships, or cross-border programs in ways that set it apart from regional peers?

Our ambition is to gradually grow from a TIER 2 School with European recognition to a TIER 1 School with a global recognition. This development is driven by key strategic moves.

Reputation enhancement in the U.S.: In 2024/2025, Nova SBE strengthened its brand in the U.S. Market by launching a Double Degree with NYU Tandon School of Engineering (double degree between our Master’s in Management with NYU Tandon Master’s in Management of Technology) and launching two new institutes in collaboration with highly recognized U.S Universities: The D3 Digital Data Design Institute at Nova with the D3 Institute at Harvard University, and the Public Policy Institute, whose one of the Academic Directors is a Professor at NUY Stern.

Exchange agreements and Double Degree Programs – Keep prioritizing high quality partnerships: Our strategy has been to prioritize agreements with TIER 1/TIER 2 international partner schools, increasing exchange opportunities with those schools, and managing the Double Degree Programs as a tool to develop our strategy. Those moves add to key institutional strengths and achievements:

• Continuous presence in the 5 Palmes of Excellence category for over a decade reflects its academic quality and global influence.
• Triple crown accredited since 2009
• The only Portuguese member of the CEMS and PIM networks
• Alumni base of 22 000 globally engaged professionals in more than 70 countries

As a school with 5 Palmes Emeritus status, what does sustaining this level of distinction require year after year? 

The School has been reinforcing services and information-sharing processes to enhance support to international students. The “Life at Nova” team is responsible for managing and promoting these services, which primarily address important areas such as housing, mobility, visas, and overall well-being.

Nova SBE has been intensifying the international placement of its graduates in high-salaried European capitals and other selected cities through various actions, including: Business trips and student clubs visits to recruiting hubs, and Two career fairs per year, including the International Career Fair in September specifically targeting international placements.

Twenty-one alumni chapters across four continents support graduates placement, marketing and funding activities, developing the awareness of Nova SBE in their markets.

How does that recognition shape your future planning, investment, and competitive positioning?

The 5 Palmes of Excellence Emeritus recognition is reserved for world-class institutions that have consistently maintained 5 Palmes status over more than a decade. Nova SBE is among only 89 institutions globally to receive this distinction. It reinforces Nova SBE ambition to develop as a TIER 1 School with a global reputation.

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