WUSTL's Olin School of Business' executive education ranks 'excellent' in survey of people who attended

Nov. 21, 2005 -- The Olin School of Business' non-degree executive education programs ranked tops globally in a survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit, a branch of The Economist Group which also publishes the Economist magazine.

Olin's open programs tied for second place internationally (first-place tie nationally) and its customized programs tied for first place among similar programs worldwide.

The Economist Intelligence Unit surveyed senior executives who had attended open enrollment programs. Participants were first asked what qualities they valued most in an executive education course. Once those criteria were established, the participants rated their experiences based on those factors. These included program content; faculty quality; provider's amenities; level of post-course support; amount of value for the money; and the course contents' impact in the workplace. On a five-point scale, Olin received 4.1 for its open enrollment programs.

For the customized programs, the people within the company who were responsible for purchasing a customized program filled out the survey. The programs were judged by similar factors as the open program, but also took into consideration the school's ability to understand issues specific to the company; flexibility in customizing the program; and a wide range of expertise. Olin received 4.4 points out of five for its customized executive programs.

Mahendra Gupta, dean of the Olin School of Business, said, "This is a testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff, to our single-minded focus on the customer, and to the innovation and creativity we bring to our work."

Both rankings place Olin in the top quartile of the schools evaluated, which means that the Economist Intelligence Unit awards Olin a grade of "excellent."