IE University ranked among the top 25 universities in the world for graduate employability

• Earlier today Times Higher Education published the sixth edition of its Global University Employability Survey and Ranking which places IE University among the top 25 universities worldwide
• IE University has climbed two positions since last year’s survey to become No. 8 in Europe and retain the No. 1 position in Spain for student employability
• The ranking examines the quality of 150 universities around the world based on the opinions of 6,000 recruiters and HR directors of large firms in 21 countries

IE University has been ranked the No. 1 University in Spain, No. 8 in Europe, and No. 25 in the world in the Global University Employability Survey and Ranking 2016 published today by UK-based journal Times Higher Education, an established international reference in the university sector.

The survey, undertaken by consulting firms Emerging (France) and Trendence (Germany), evaluates the level of employability of graduates from 150 universities around the world, based on the opinions of 6,000 recruiters and directors from companies based in 21 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, UK and the US.

According to the directors who took part in the survey, the US has the most attractive universities from a recruiter’s perspective, with highly employable graduates. Hence the ranking is headed by US universities, specifically California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Harvard. The top ten include six US universities, three European, and one Asian. Cambridge is the top-ranked university in Europe (No. 4 worldwide), followed by Oxford (No. 7 worldwide) and the Technical University of Munich (No. 8 worldwide), while the top school in Asia is the University of Tokyo (No. 10 worldwide. There are 12 US schools in the top 30, along with 10 based in Europe, 5 in Asia, 2 in Canada, and 1 in Australia.

IE University has further built on positions achieved in previous years by climbing two positions with respect to the 2015 ranking to be once again the top Spanish school in the ranking, and No. 8 in Europe, surpassed only by Cambridge, Oxford, Technical University of Munich, Imperial College London, H.E.C. Paris, King’s College London and the University of Manchester. The level of employability of its students and an education model with a special focus on innovation have placed IE University among the top 25 universities and centers for education in the world from the perspective of recruiters and directors of human resources in international companies.

“In recent years IE University has consolidated its position as a benchmark for shaping the kind of talent firms need, both now and in the future. It’s very rewarding to see IE University recognized as being among the best 25 universities in the world,” says Santiago Iñiguez, President of IE University.

The latest report drawn up by the IE Career Management Center on the work situation of IE University graduates reveals that 92% of students find employment within 6 months of graduating. Large firms which hired IE University candidates last year include Google, Morgan Stanley, Santander, Amazon, Goldman Sachs and Mondelez. Forty four percent of recent IE University graduates work outside Spain. Of these, 70% are working in EU countries, while the remainder are in the Middle East, Africa, North America and Asia.

Recruiters who participated in the Global University Employability Survey and Ranking 2016 were asked to define the type of candidates they seek, and to state which universities they saw as being most successful in producing candidates who meet recruiters’ needs. One of the findings of the report was that employers in France, India, the US and the UK seek candidates with strong communication skills, while those in China and Germany attach more importance to other aspects, such as adaptability.