The open-enrolment programme ranking features the top 80 schools offering open-enrolment courses - those on specific topics, such as leadership, directed towards professionals regardless of their employer. 

FT defines open executive education as short non-degree business courses for junior/senior managers or entrepreneurs. Enrolment is open to all eligible individuals and participants are typically employed by different companies and organisations.

Participating schools must be accredited by either AACSB or Equis, or have an affiliation with an AACSB/Equis accredited organisation. They must also have earned revenues of at least $1mn in 2023 from either custom or open-enrolment non-degree programmes in order to participate in the relevant ranking.

The open-enrolment ranking is compiled using data from course providers and individuals who completed their nominated management programmes in in the year preceding the ranking publication year. Schools submit one or two general courses of at least three days in length and one or two advanced courses lasting a minimum of five days. At least 20 per cent of these programmes’ participants must complete the FT survey, with a minimum of 20 completed surveys, for a school to be considered in the ranking.

The ranking considers the following indicators:

Preparation (9.5%) - provision of advance information on programme content and the participant selection process.

Course design (10.3%) - flexibility of the course and appropriateness of class size, structure and design.

Teaching methods and materials (10.1%) - extent to which teaching methods and materials were contemporary and appropriate, and included a suitable mix of academic rigour and practical relevance.

Faculty (10.5%) - quality of teaching and the extent to which teaching staff worked together to present a coherent programme.

Quality of participants (9.7%) - the extent to which other programme participants were of the appropriate managerial and academic standard, the international diversity of participants and the quality of interaction among peers.

New skills and learning (10.6%) - relevance of skills gained to the workplace, the ease with which they were implemented, and the extent to which the course encouraged new ways of thinking.

Follow-up (9.0%) - level of follow-up offered after participants returned to their workplace, and networking opportunities with fellow participants.

Aims achieved (10.3%) - extent to which personal and professional expectations were met, and the likelihood that participants would recommend the programme.

Female participants (2.0%) - percentage of female course participants. Schools with a 50:50 (male/female) composition receive the highest score.

International participants (3.0%) - based on the percentage of participants from outside the business school’s base country and region.

International location (2.0%) - extent to which programmes are run outside the school’s base country and region.

Growth (5.0%) - based on the overall growth in revenues from open programmes, as well as the growth in revenues from repeat business.

Partner schools (3.0%) - quantity and quality of programmes taught in conjunction with other Equis- or AACSB-accredited business schools.

Faculty diversity (5.0%) - diversity of school faculty according to citizenship and gender.

The first eight criteria are based on data from programme participants; the next six are based on data submitted by the business schools.