Business schools have placed an increasingly heavy emphasis on diversity in recent years, with earnest statements of intent and ambitious plans to boost equity in their classrooms. This reflects a recognition that schools need to educate future business leaders for an increasingly multicultural world.
However, there is also a recognition that schools must make more significant progress in this area, and attract more ethnic minority and female candidates. Schools have tried to boost diversity by being more flexible with their admissions policies. Scholarships have also helped, especially those MBA candidates from less affluent backgrounds.
Enormous effort is also underway to make the MBA experience more inclusive with a whole host of extracurricular activities from implicit bias training to student clubs and alumni networks for diversity candidates. With that in mind, we have listed 10 of the best MBA programs in the world for diversity, equity and inclusion.
George Washington scores highly on Bloomberg’s Diversity Index for business schools, with the MBA program having hit gender parity: 55 percent of the class are female. The school is also enrolling a diverse cohort by race and ethnicity. Indeed, 20 percent of the MBA class is Asian, 20 percent are Black and 16 percent Hispanic.
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At Pittsburgh: Katz, 53 percent of the MBA students are women and the school also enrols a high proportion of Black, Asian and Hispanic students. Katz has created a steering committee for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, setting goals to increase the diverse representation of professors, for one.
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US News ranks Rochester: Simon as the most diverse top-50 MBA program in America. Women make up 42 percent of the MBA class at the school, and 46 percent of its domestic students are from historically underrepresented groups. The school provides financial support to members of the US military too.
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Diversity is a foundational value at INSEAD, which calls itself the business school of the world, owing to its campuses on different continents. The school has set up its first office of diversity, equity and inclusion, providing training to staff and faculty. The school is also working to improve inclusion in the MBA curriculum.
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The proportion of underrepresented minorities at Florida: Chapman is 59 percent. The school has an office of diversity, equity and inclusion, with a specific post for black excellence and achievement. The school also has a cross-cultural center, as well as education, training and mentorship for diversity candidates.
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Rutgers is a highly diverse business school, with 44 percent of the full-time MBA class being underrepresented minorities. The student body comprises 33 percent women, with 33 countries represented as well. Diversity Inc ranks Rutgers among the top five US universities for commitment to diversity.
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Rice: Jones has its office for diversity, equity and inclusion that works to ensure every member of the community feels welcomed, valued and respected. The school has strategic partnerships with affinity organizations such as the National Black MBA Association and Forte Foundation. The Diversity Preview Weekend is the school’s flagship MBA recruitment event.
View School ProfileESCP Business School in Europe scores highly for diversity in numerous MBA rankings, meaning a high proportion of students and staff are underrepresented minorities. The school recently launched a new Diversity and Inclusion project, which is about creating an open and inclusive environment that fosters multiculturalism.
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Warwick Business School in the UK draws a diverse community, from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. The school strives to create an inclusive environment in which everyone can ‘be themselves’. The school has staff and student equality and diversity committees, and a race equality network.
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