20 September 2010. This is the conclusion reached by the international newspaper in its annual evaluation and ranking of Master’s programmes in Management.

“On the right track”
The University of St.Gallen is thus honoured for decades of effort in management research and teaching. “The result shows that we’re on the right track,” says Prof. Dr. Günter Müller-Stewens, the Academic Director of the programme. “Our graduates are ready to become competent and responsible managers, consultants or entrepreneurs in a globalised economy.” The integrative St.Gallen approach constitutes the conceptual basis of the Master of Arts in Strategy and International Management (SIM-HSG).

“We also set great store by not limiting ourselves to teaching our students mere management knowledge. Rather, we also communicate social competence in order to educate future executives who are equipped with intellectual flexibility and intercultural qualifications,” says Dr. Omid Aschari, the Executive Director of the programme.

International comparison
The structure of participants in the Financial Times ranking is suitable for a global comparison only to a limited extent, but it allows for a comparison of Master’s programmes in the European Bologna system. First place is occupied by ESCP Europe, which originates in France but is present in many European countries, ahead of the joint-degree programme of the CEMS Alliance of 27 business universities worldwide, of which the HSG is part as the Swiss member. Thus the HSG is even indirectly represented twice among the top four programmes. Third place is occupied by the programme of HEC Paris, just ahead of the SIM programme of the University of St.Gallen.

Social commitment
The English-language SIM programme at the HSG offers specialisations in areas such as strategy, leadership, finance, marketing, organisation theory and international management. However, the programme is not limited to the communication of management know-how; rather, it aims to educate future executives who are equipped with intellectual flexibility and intercultural awareness.

At the same time, weight is also accorded to social commitment. In the SIMagination projects, which have been a new and important component of the curriculum since 2009, students demonstrate their ability to bring their imagination and skills to bear on sustainable social projects. The selection of the SIMagination projects is based on the students’ own initiative, and the projects are supervised by the programme and supported by the University of St.Gallen.