EDHEC Business School ranks 3rd in the world for the impact of its research
In its 2026 “Business School Research with Impact” ranking, the Financial Times (FT) ranks EDHEC Business School first in France and third worldwide for the influence of its research on business practices.
EDHEC has made impact-driven research a cornerstone of its strategy, delivering value to both businesses and society.
This strategy, which aims to reconcile academic excellence with applied research, is based on a unique economic model, driven by all professors and researchers, particularly within EDHEC's research centres and chairs. This model, whose ambition is to transform research into concrete, high-impact solutions for industry, relies in particular on ventures: incubated and then sold off - as was the case with Scientific Beta in 2020 and SIPA in 2026 - they enable subsequent reinvestment in the school, benefiting students and opening up new areas of research.
In the latest Financial Times ‘Business School Research with Impact’ ranking, EDHEC Business School ranks first in France and third worldwide. This ranking measures the influence of research carried out by business schools and universities around the world notably on business practices and public policy. It is based on four areas: publications aimed at practioners and decision-makers, citations by policy-makers, the securing of external funding and the production of teaching cases.
The first area ‘Practitioners ranking’, focuses on academic articles published in international journals identified by the FT* as being particularly closely followed and read by practioners and decision-makers. Three indicators, calculated since 2022, are used to assess the institutions: the number of articles published in practioner journals, the number of these articles per faculty member, and the academic citations of these articles.
“The pursuit of excellence in research truly comes into its own when it is actionable, accessible and a source of transformation. This recognition from the Financial Times confirms the relevance of our impact-driven research model: fostering an ongoing dialogue between scientific excellence and the needs of the business world. This ranking is also an invitation to explore new scientific frontiers in order to address the challenges facing businesses. ” Emmanuel Métais, Dean of EDHEC Business School.
EDHEC Business School has therefore chosen, for and alongside future generations, to contribute to the gradual reinvention of existing models and businesses, in the interests of the common good. This commitment is first and foremost reflected in the resources allocated: the school devotes more than 20 per cent of its financial resources to research and has, for example, welcomed 70 new lecturers over the last five academic years. This direction is set out in the ‘Generations 2050’ strategic plan, which is accelerating EDHEC’s ecosystem around climate action and responsible entrepreneurship, and has, since 2024, led to the emergence of innovative initiatives, notably: the EDHEC Centre for Net Positive Business, the EDHEC Artificial Intelligence Centre and the EDHEC Quantum Institute.
This ranking is a chance to recognise the work of EDHEC's entire academic Community: its professors and researchers, the Dean of Faculty & Research Michael Antioco, and all the teams working within the institutes, centres, and chairs. It is also an opportunity to thank all of EDHEC’s partners, who help sustain this culture of impact and sharing.
* California Management Review, Organizational Dynamics, Accounting Horizons, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, The Journal of Portfolio Management, Informs Journal on Applied Analytics, Financial Analysts Journal, Management and Business Review, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review
