THE ASIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MAKES LANDMARKDEBUT AMONG ASIA’s TOP 25 MBA PROGRAMMES
ASB secures #2 position in Malaysia with top 25 rankings in employability, diversity and value for money

 KUALA LUMPUR, 17 September 2026 – Just under a decade after graduating its first MBA cohort, the Asia School of Business (ASB) has entered the global stage, debuting at #23 in Asia and within the top 180 MBA programmes worldwide in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027. This milestone follows closely behind ASB’s achievement of AACSB accreditation – an essential eligibility criterion for participation in the ranking that paved the way for this inaugural entry.

While global league tables are traditionally dominated by institutions with decades of history, ASB’s swift entry reflects the immediate international standing of its academic model. The result also places ASB as the #2 MBA programme in Malaysia.

Beyond its overall ranking, ASB demonstrated particular strengths in employability, diversity and value for money, ranking among Asia’s top 25 across all three dimensions. Its strong diversity performance reflects the international character of the MBA, while ASB achieving a perfect score for student gender balance and near perfect score for international faculty:

• Strong Employability and Performance: Driven by robust career outcomes and strong connections with the corporate world.
• Entrepreneurship: Driven by a strong cohort of alumni launching successful new ventures.
• Exceptional Global Diversity: Scoring 100/100 for student gender balance and 99.5/100 for international faculty.

Building World-Class Business Education in Kuala Lumpur

Established in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management in 2015, ASB was designed to challenge traditional business education. Rather than relying on passive classroom lectures or theoretical models, the ASB MBA experience is built on immersive, practice-first learning:

• Action Learning & Integrative Management Lab: Hands-on projects for host companies across Asia, where students solve real-world, cross-functional business challenges from the start of their journey.
• Mindset Lab: A unique programme rooted in behavioural science focused on developing personal resilience, adaptive leadership, and self-awareness.
• Global Exposure (GIE & MIT Immersion): Regional field studies through Global Industry Experience (GIE) treks, alongside an extended residential immersion at MIT Sloan in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

This multi-faceted foundation reflects ASB’s broader collaboration with MIT Sloan – an institution ranked #1 globally in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027. By bridging MIT’s innovation ecosystem with hands-on practice in Asia’s emerging markets, ASB equips students to lead across complex global environments.

Reflecting on the Milestone

Speaking on the ranking debut, Professor Joseph Cherian, CEO, President, Dean and Distinguished Professor of the Asia School of Business, shared:

“When we started ASB, the goal was simple but ambitious: build a business school in Kuala Lumpur that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best in the world, guided by an ethos of ‘Global Inquiry, Local Heart.’ Seeing our debut in the Asia’s Top 25 MBA Programmes and earning recognition for our strengths in employability, diversity, and value for money proves that this practical, immersive approach works. It’s a testament to our faculty and, above all, our students who step into the market fully equipped to navigate real-world challenges.”

Clear Post-MBA Pathways

ASB’s hands-on curriculum provides direct springboards for career advancement. Beyond the MBA, ASB graduates can continue their learning through pathways at globally renowned institutions including MIT Sloan School of Management, Yale School of Management, Cornell University and the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. These opportunities span management studies, advanced management, business analytics, and executive leadership – enabling graduates to deepen their expertise, broaden their global perspective, and strengthen their leadership capability and international networks. Beyond immediate career entry into multinational corporations, strategy consultancies, and high-growth ventures, graduates benefit from exclusive post-MBA institutional pathways.

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ABOUT THE ASIA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS      

Global Inquiry, Local Heart. Established in 2015 by Bank Negara Malaysia in collaboration with MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan), the Asia School of Business (ASB) is committed to developing transformative and principled leaders who create a positive impact in the emerging world and beyond. ASB offers Executive Education, Micro-Credentials, PhD in Management, MBA, Executive MBA (EMBA), and the world’s only Master in Central Banking (MCB). To learn more about the Asia School of Business, visit asb.edu.my, or connect via LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. 

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