In the latest Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking, the University of Cologne’s CEMS Master in International Management (MIM) has reached 37th place worldwide and 4th nationally, improving again on last year’s results. Compared to the previous year, the programme offered by the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo Faculty) has climbed three places internationally and one nationally.
Each year, only the top 100 institutions worldwide are listed in the international Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking of leading business schools and universities. In 2025, just three public universities from Germany are represented: the University of Cologne, the University of Mannheim and the Technical University of Munich.
WiSo also defends its no. 1 position in Germany for international course experience, reflecting the large number of internships and study abroad opportunities. No other German business school or university has graduates completing a comparable number of internships and stays abroad. The faculty further improved in “International Work Mobility” (38th worldwide) and “Career Service” (36th worldwide), underlining the excellent global career prospects for its graduates.
“The results of the FT Master’s in Management Rankings once again confirm that the WiSo Faculty provides its students with an excellent international education in management through the CEMS MIM. The outstanding positions in prestigious rankings highlight the competitiveness of the WiSo Faculty and the University of Cologne, both nationally and internationally, and demonstrate the excellent quality of our research and teaching. Above all, they strengthen our commitment to continue educating responsible leaders for the future,” says Professor Ulrich Thonemann, PhD, Dean of the WiSo Faculty of the University of Cologne.
The Master in International Management (CEMS MIM) at the WiSo Faculty is a pioneer in modern international management education. It is offered in cooperation with the CEMS network, an unparalleled global alliance of 33 leading business schools across five continents, together with more than 80 multinational companies and NGOs. Only one of the most prestigious universities in a country may join this alliance – the University of Cologne represents Germany.
The Financial Times “Masters in Management” Ranking annually evaluates the world’s top 100 internationally accredited business schools and universities. The data is collected through comprehensive surveys completed by both graduates and the institutions themselves. Master’s programmes are assessed on the basis of around 20 criteria, with particular emphasis placed on alumni career progression.