The Iscte Executive Education Executive MBA has been ranked #1 nationally in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2026. Internationally, the programme has remained among the top 50 in Europe for six consecutive years, consolidating its position within the European executive education landscape.

The programme's performance is particularly notable in the Career Outcomes indicator, which assesses participants’ career progression and salary growth. Here, the programme achieves results that are significantly above the global average. The Executive Profile indicator, which reflects participants’ experience and leadership positions, also shows that Iscte’s Executive MBA performs well internationally.

Maria de Fátima Salgueiro, Dean of Iscte Business School, says: “This result confirms Iscte Business School’s position as an impact-driven institution — in our students’ careers, in organisations, and in society. In an increasingly competitive global context, being No. 1 in Portugal and in the top 50 in Europe demonstrates the consistency of our academic programme and the international relevance of our executive education”.

José Crespo de Carvalho, President of Iscte Executive Education, also emphasises the importance of this recognition: 'We have been achieving remarkable milestones with our Executive MBA. We rank among the world’s top 100 EMBA programmes in the Financial Times rankings and have been among the top 50 in Europe for six consecutive years in the QS rankings. But this year is a special one. We have risen to number one in Portugal in the QS ranking. Having the best Executive MBA in Portugal according to QS is something we should all be proud of. It is an achievement for the country. It is also a seal of guarantee and indelible quality for our alumni. And for Iscte Executive Education, because this is what we all work towards every day, including staff, lecturers and coordinators. In Portugal, it doesn't get any better than this."

Iscte Executive Education plays a central role in training leaders who can operate in complex and constantly changing contexts by linking academic knowledge to business practice.
This result reflects the contribution of the entire community — participants, alumni, lecturers, partners and staff — and reinforces Iscte Business School’s commitment to excellence in education, with a focus on creating value and real impact.

Find out how the Executive MBA could help your career progression.