The QS World University Rankings: Business Masters Rankings 2018 is a new ranking of the top programs in business analytics, finance and management. As specialized programs are becoming increasingly popular (particularly with entrepreneurial students), this ranking aims to help students compare between different business schools and study programs.

Each institution was assessed on five indicators: employability, entrepreneurship & alumni outcomes, return on investment, thought leadership and diversity. Watch our videos above to discover the top 10 for each business master’s program.

Two of the most renowned universities in Russia in this year’s QS BRICS University Rankings, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) and Novosibirsk State University (NSU) are bound to be at the top of your list if you want to study in Russia. Lomonosov ranks sixth this year, while Novosibirsk ranks 12^th. They’re also both ranked well in the QS World University Rankings® 2019, with Lomonosov currently ranked 90^th in the world, while Novosibirsk is in joint 244^th place.

If you’re trying to decide between these two top Russian universities, read on for an overview of how they compare in factors such as the student community, subject strengths and tuition fees.

 *Based on the broad subject areas of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019.

QS World University Rankings® 2019

Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) is the leading institution at 90^th, climbing from joint 95^th last year, and also beats Novosibirsk State University (NSU) in most of the indicators used to compile the ranking. MSU is in the global top 100 for its reputation among graduate employers and academics, while both Russian universities achieve their highest score for the ratio of faculty to students, with MSU holding a large lead at 31^st to Novosibirsk’s 85^th.

The two top Russian universities both come 601+ for the citations per faculty indicator (a measure of research impact), and both are in the top 300 for percentage of international students, with MSU again in the lead by far at 173^rd.

Subject strengths

While the world and BRICS rankings can be a helpful starting point when choosing between these two top universities in Russia, you’ll probably also want to see which institution performs best for your subject. Looking firstly at the broad subject areas of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019, Lomonosov is in the top 100 for every broad subject area, excluding life sciences & medicine, for which it ranks joint 303^rd. Both Lomonosov and Novosibirsk achieve their highest score for natural sciences, with Lomonosov in joint 21^st place internationally.

The table below shows how the two top Russian universities compare on a subject level.

Location

Another important factor to bear in mind when choosing between these two top Russian universities is where you’ll based. Both university’s cities were ranked in the latest QS Best Student Cities, with Moscow ranked 28^th out of 100 cities in the 2018 edition, while Novosibirsk placed 96^th.  Moscow is perhaps a more familiar location, given it’s the capital of Russia and is located in the western (European) part of the country, but Novosibirsk is the unofficial capital of Siberia in Asian Russia and the third largest city in the country after Moscow and St Petersburg. As you’d expect from Siberia, Novosibirsk gets very cold, with temperatures averaging around minus 16°C in January. The cultural and economic center of Siberia, Novosibirsk is a fast-growing city and a transport hub. Novosibirsk State University itself is located in Akademgorodok (Academic Town), 30km from the city center, which is a world-famous research center and Russia’s answer to Silicon Valley. Novosibirsk is also a relatively affordable city for students, with much cheaper living costs than you’d find in Moscow (rent alone is 59 percent cheaper, according to Numbeo).

If you’d rather spend a bit more to live in Moscow and study at Lomonosov Moscow State University, you’re still likely to find the city’s living costs much lower than those in other European cities, such as London (where rent is 160 percent more expensive). Moscow also received plenty of praise in our student survey, with students commenting on the “many activities and events happening during the year…the city is made for youth and student life”, while another said: “You get to learn about different people and cultures”.

One of the most iconic capitals in the world, Moscow is full of fantastic Russian architecture, theaters, museums, galleries and parks to explore in your spare time. With more than 13.2 million residents, it’s considerably larger than Novosibirsk (which has a population of 1.6 million), so depending on your personality, you may find big city life either exciting or overwhelming.

Tuition fees & funding

Both of these top universities in Russia have similar tuition fees, which hover in the US$3,800-5,500 per year range for many courses. Even Lomonosov’s clinical medicine degree is only 325,000 rubles per year (~US$5,030) - a similar price to many other courses, despite medicine typically being one of the most expensive subjects. Fees are slightly higher for the English-taught graduate degrees at Novosibirsk State University but are still fairly low.

In terms of funding, the Russian government offers scholarships to help international students afford their studies, with 15,000 spots awarded in 2018. Russian government scholarships cover your full tuition for the duration of your program, as well as a maintenance allowance for the duration of your studies (typically about 1,630 rubles every month, which is roughly US$25). If available at your university, it will also include dormitory accommodation. To find out more and read about the steps to apply, you can check the Study in Russia website.

Lomonosov doesn’t currently offer its own scholarships. At Novosibirsk State University you may be able to study for an international program if you’re from a partner university or one that takes part in the Erasmus + exchange program.

You can browse more scholarships to study in Russia in our dedicated list here.

This article was originally published in November, 2017. It was updated in April 2019. 

Which of these top universities in Russia gets your vote? Let us know in the comments below!

All of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are held in high esteem – but IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay consistently stand out as some of the leading institutions, albeit by a narrow margin.

In the latest edition of the QS Asia University Rankings, IIT Bombay is ranked 34^th in the region, closely followed by IIT Delhi in 41^st place, and in the QS BRICS University Rankings 2018 – a comparison of the top universities in the five fast-developing BRICS countries – they appear in ninth and 17^th place respectively, with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore in between them at 10^th.

These two institutions also fairly closely matched in terms of overall size and course offerings. In keeping with the IIT group’s tendency towards smaller intakes, each has around 8,000 students, and they both specialize predominantly in the engineering and technology disciplines.

Read on for a closer look at how these two top IITs compare, and their current positioning in the international rankings tables.

IIT Delhi vs IIT Bombay in the BRICS rankings

As the table above shows, IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay are closely matched across the board, scoring similarly in many of the eight indicators assessed in the QS BRICS University Rankings. Within the BRICS nations, both are among the best-reputed institutions in the eyes of both academics and employers, reflecting the overall strong international brand the two top IITs have attained.

As is the case for many Indian universities, the number of academic staff members employed relative to student enrolments is a comparative weak point, as is the international diversity of the student body and faculty. However, academic qualification levels are high, as are research production rates, particularly at IIT Delhi.

Overall, the top IITs remain some of the nation’s strongest representatives on the world stage, beaten only by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, which is currently ranked sixth in the BRICS countries and 33^rd in Asia.

IIT Delhi vs IIT Bombay in the subject rankings

True to their name and the IIT ethos, both institutions focus primarily on scientific and technical subjects. However, they also each have highly reputed schools of management, as well as offering a number of courses in the arts, humanities and social sciences.

Both claim a strong presence in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, particularly within the engineering disciplines. Both are ranked among the world’s top 100 institutions for chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, and also for computer science.

They’re also both ranked as world leaders in the fields of mathematics, chemistry, statistics, physics, and business and management studies. IIT Bombay also appears in the rankings for environmental sciences, materials sciences, pharmacy and art and design.

So, at the end of this closely matched race, which of these two top IITs would you choose? Or are you headed for another of the Indian Institutes of Technology, or one of India’s larger comprehensive universities? Let us know in the comments below…

This article was originally published in July 2015. It was updated in August 2016 and again in November 2017.

Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP) and Universidade Estadual De Campinas (UNICAMP) are two universities which are bound to be at the top of your list if you want to study in Brazil. Both are consistently featured in the global top 200 of the QS World University Rankings® 2018, with USP currently ranked number one in Brazil at 121^st in the world, while UNICAMP is joint 182^nd.

Both universities also perform extremely well in the QS University Rankings: Latin America 2018, with UNICAMP coming second in the region whilst USP is third. Read on to get a closer look at how these top universities in Brazil compare.

 *Based on the broad subject areas of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017

QS World University Rankings® 2018

Looking at the QS World University Rankings® 2018, USP went down one place from last year to now rank 121^st in the world, while UNICAMP climbed nine places to now rank joint 182^nd in the world. Both universities appear in the top 150 for their reputations among academics and employers, with USP surpassing UNICAMP on both.

However, both universities receive equal scores for the remaining indicators used to compile the rankings, earning 401+ each for their faculty/student ratio, research impact (citations per faculty) and the international diversity of both institutions’ students and faculty members. 

Subject strengths

If you’re still unsure on which of these top universities in Brazil gets your vote, then the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017 can help narrow down each institutions’ strengths in different academic disciplines. USP ranks above UNICAMP for all five of the broad subject areas in the ranking, gaining a clear lead in each. However, despite this, there are some subjects which USP and UNICAMP are evenly matched for, for example chemistry, computer science, chemical engineering, modern languages and nursing, all of which both universities are ranked 51-100 in the world for.

The table below shows how USP and UNICAMP directly compare for different subjects.

Location

Both Universidade de São Paulo (USP) and Universidade Estadual De Campinas (UNICAMP) are located in São Paulo state, the most populous and developed state in Brazil. USP is based in the city of São Paulo while UNICAMP is based 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) outside Campinas city center, which is 96km (60 miles) northwest of São Paulo. Campinas means grass fields in Portuguese, referring to the scenic local landscape, and the city offers an interesting historical heritage, economic prosperity, plus excellent shopping, food and nightlife. While Campinas is by no means small (home to around 2.9 million people in its metro area), it may be preferable for those who aren’t keen on the idea of studying in São Paulo – the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere with more than 21 million inhabitants. Campinas’ location also means it’s easily possible to visit São Paulo while you study. However, other students might feel right at home in São Paulo – despite the chaos and traffic, it offers no shortage of new things to explore, whether it’s enjoying the famous carnival season or trying something new from the huge range of cuisine – with its vibrant culture helping to earn it 69^th place in the latest edition of the QS Best Student Cities.

Tuition fees & funding

The Brazilian Federal Constitution has established the right for free education up to postgraduate degree level, meaning all publicly funded universities are free of charge. Both USP and UNICAMP are public and therefore do not charge tuition fees. USP states on its website that no fees are charged for undergraduate and ‘stricto sensu graduate courses’ – stricto sensu refers to postgraduate degrees which enable the student to go into an academic career upon graduating. USP also states that ‘other MBA or extension courses may have tuition fees’. In contrast, MBAs are considered lato sensu postgraduate programs, meaning they are specialized and do charge tuition fees: to give you an example, the tuition fees for an MBA in Agribusiness are 18 monthly installments of R$800 (~US$240). Due to the free tuition, USP does not offer scholarship programs. Meanwhile, at UNICAMP, there are likewise no tuition fees, meaning students will just need to cover their own living expenses. Universities in Brazil generally don’t provide accommodation for students, meaning you’ll need to find private accommodation, which your university’s international office can assist you with.

There are external organizations which offer scholarships for international students to study in Brazil. For example, the OAS-GCUB Scholarship Program awards scholarships to outstanding citizens of OAS member states to complete masters or PhD programs at universities in Brazil. Undergraduate, doctorate and post-doctorate students from the European Union are eligible to apply for scholarships from the IBRASIL Project, which is funded by European Commission, and Canadian students are eligible to apply for scholarships from the Colleges and Institutes Canada to study in Brazil. PhD Students from developing countries are eligible to apply for PhD fellowships from The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).

Finally, it’s important to note that if you want to study in Brazil you’ll need an excellent knowledge of Portuguese, and will need to prove your proficiency with the Celpe-Bras test. You’ll also need to have your application documents officially translated into Portuguese.

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This article was originally published in July 2017. It was updated in November 2017 to add the latest QS BRICS University Rankings data. 

尽管没有完全绝对的排名，但我们在编制今年的QS全球MBA排名时，研究了比以往更多的数据点，试图给出市场上最全面的排名

2022年全球MBA排名旨在介绍全球最优的MBA课程。今年我们对来自45个国家的286个MBA项目进行了排名，并对更多的项目进行了分析。这使得我们的排名成为了世界上规模最大的国际MBA项目排名。数据收集于2021年，基于三项调查：QS全球雇主调查、QS全球学术调查和各商学院自己进行的调查。

学校完成的调查涵盖了毕业生工资、班级简介等量化指标。

在2021年的全球MBA排名中，QS没有要求学校调查他们的校友。但是，学校根据MBACSEA标准提供了校友的职业发展信息。

收到的数据基于2020年毕业班（就业信息）和2020年入学班的班级构成。当这些数据不可用时，我们使用学校提供的最新可用数据。在少数情况下，我们使用公开信息帮助排名尽可能准确。

2022年全球MBA排名要求课程必须主要在校园内授课（即非远程教育），全日制授课（或至少可选择全日制授课），班级规模至少为15名学生。所有学校必须获得某种认证，如AACSB、AMBA、EFMD（EQUIS）等。我们还要求学校在大多数指标中提供相关数据，（见常见问题解答）。

共有13项标准构成了课程排名的五个关键指标的基础：“就业能力”、“企业家精神和校友成果”、“投资回报率”、“思想领导力”和“班级和教师多样性”。

2022年QS全球MBA排名的权重细分

• 就业能力–40%
• 企业家精神和校友成果–15%
• 投资回报率 – 20%
• 思想领导力 – 15%
• 班级和教师多样性–10%

就业能力（5%）

该排名的核心是QS全球雇主调查。该项调查已有20多年的历史，主要询问雇主更愿意招聘哪些院校的毕业生。2013-2017年间，我们收集了全球雇主对QS全球雇主调查超过四万份回复。在这一排名中，最新的回复被赋予了最大的权重。

所有行业和行业的雇主都参与了调查，包括Facebook、谷歌、优步、富国银行、美国银行等。该指标的总分还根据MBACSEA标准，考虑了学生毕业后三个月的就业率。

企业家精神和校友成果

校友成果指数关注的是全球巨头企业（包括苹果、亚马逊、瑞银、IBM、微软、摩根大通、埃克森美孚、AT&T、百事可乐等）超过5万名CEO、高管和董事会成员的相关学校。

为了做到这一点，我们将150多个全球和地区的名单纳入考量，包括福布斯2000、全球财富500强社交媒体影响力人物和各种专业出版物。较上次排名，我们新增14%的校友。另外再加上每个项目中开始创业的学生人数

为了反映学生在毕业后有意创办自己公司的趋势，企业家精神在该指标中占有相当大的比例。

投资回报率

投资回报率有多种排列情况和可能性，因此极难准确预测。为此，我们使用相当多的数据点来进行确定。我们研究了10年的投资回报率，将MBA毕业后的平均工资与入学前的平均工资进行了对比，同时考虑了暂时放弃的薪水以及学费和生活成本（使用Mercer城市生活质量排名）。MBA前后的工资都会考虑到工资的增长，而后者的增长率的确会更高。根据培养出来的企业家的数量，学校会被授予分级奖励，以说明创业速度较慢但潜在回报高得多的原因。我们还考虑了毕业生在完成学业后三个月内接受就业的百分比。

我们认为，与一些采用五年法的排名相比，10年的投资回报更具代表性和意义。这一方法不包括贷款或奖学金。我们认为没有ROI计算是完美的，但相信我们已经提出了最佳的近似ROI计算与可用的数据。

思想领导力

这一指标是基于来自世界60个国家的260920名学者的回答，他们选出了他们认为自己学科领域最强的机构。我们还包括研究影响；根据QS世界大学学科排名，我们衡量的是每篇论文的引文，而不是每位教师的引文。该指标考虑的另一个因素是拥有博士学位的教师的百分比。

班级和教师多样性

为了在一个项目中明确体现多样性，我们研究了女学生和女教师的百分比（男女比例相等的学校获得尽可能高的分数）。我们还调查了商学院外籍教师的总体比例，以及MBA项目的国际学生情况。

常见问题与解答

如何计算汇率？

采用截止2018年1月1日的汇率，而声誉调查中报告的工资是使用相关年份的平均值换算而成。汇率确实会波动，我们在计算时会考虑到这一点。

如何核查数据？

从学校收到的所有数据都要接受核查，包括在可能的情况下与历史数据、同侪学校和其他公布的来源进行比较。如果发现更准确的信息来源，QS保留更改信息的权利。此外，还对雇主/学术调查问卷的多个或虚假条目进行了审计。

如果学校未提供所需的所有数据怎么办？

当（少数学校）没有提供数据时，QS调查，如QS全球雇主调查、QS全球学术调查与QS对公开数据的研究一起使用，以作出准确的估计。资料来源包括学校的就业报告和班级简介。

如果学校没有提供数据，你怎么能确定所使用的信息是准确的？

在这些情况中使用的信息与一些来源进行了比较，并尽可能核实以得出准确的数字。

如何公平地应用权重来获得总分？

我们使用z分数来确保数据的可靠组合，从而产生准确和公平的总体排名。在此处查看更多相关内容。

为什么会有学校未出现在排名中？

如果学校不符合排名所需的标准，如果课程太新，没有提供足够的数据等，学校将被排除在外。

我们是商学院，希望参与下一次排名。我们该怎么做呢?

联系ranking@qs.com了解情况，并询问有关排名的任何其他问题。

数据收集于2021年初，采用了三项调查；QS全球雇主调查、QS全球学术调查 和由商学院自行完成的一项调查。为形成此类排名，QS没有要求学校调查其校友。
收到的数据基于2021年毕业班（职业/就业统计）和2021年入学班（班级构成信息）。关于就业信息，我们要求在毕业后六个月采集此类数据。当无法获得这些数据时，我们使用学校提供的最新可用数据。

要进入2022年金融硕士排名、2022年管理硕士排名、2022年营销硕士排名或2022年商业分析硕士排名，必须满足以下条件：

• 主要在校园内听课（即不是远程学习）

• 至少曾从一个班毕业

• 所读过的班级至少由10名学生组成
• 持有AACSB、EFMD或AMBA的认证，或在著名的QS星级审核中获得3+星级
  该方法适用于参加全日制和非全日制课程以及体验前和体验后课程。

2022年质量管理硕士排名明细

• 就业能力–35%
• 校友成果–15%
• 经济效益–20%
• 思想领导力–20%
• 班级和教师多样性–10%

要进入2022年管理学硕士排名，相关课程必须由商学院教授，且主要与企业管理相关。当有疑问出现，我们就课程与学校协商。

2022年金融学硕士排名细目

• 就业能力–30%
• 校友成果–20%
• 经济效益–20%
• 思想领导力–20%
• 班级和教师多样性–10%

要进入2022年金融学硕士排名，相关课程必须由商学院教授，并与金融学相关。考虑金融硕士时，我们还纳入了金融工程硕士（MSFE）课程。虽然有人认为MSFE项目过于强调定量技能，但我们发现，情况并非总是如此，且因而它们具有可比性。

2022年QS商业分析硕士排名明细

• 就业能力–30%
• 校友成果–20%
• 经济效益–20%
• 思想领导力–20%
• 班级和教师多样性–10%

2022年QS 市场营销硕士排名
 

• 就业能力–35%
• 校友成果–15%
• 经济效益–20%
• 思想领导力–20%
• 班级和教师多样性–10%

指标：

就业能力

该排名的核心是QS全球雇主调查—其询问雇主愿意选择招聘哪些学校的毕业生。该项调查已进行了20多年。2015年至2019年期间，我们收集了数十万份由近45000名全球雇主向QS全球雇主调查提交的大学和商学院提名书。这些从各个部门和行业的公司获得的大量信息，使我们得以在相关排名中增加就业能力的权重。最近参加调查的雇主包括麦肯锡公司、美国银行、优步、脸书、谷歌等。

校友成果

校友成果指数关注全球最大公司（包括苹果、亚马逊、瑞银、美国国际商用机器公司、微软、摩根大通、埃克森美孚、美国电话电报公司、百事可乐）中6万名首席执行官、高管和董事会成员曾就读的学校。等等为此，我们考虑了150多个全球和地区的名单，包括福布斯2000、全球财富500强社交媒体影响力人物和各种专业出版物。

经济效益

我们使用了许多数据点来确定商业硕士课程的投资回报。我们通过了解硕士后的平均工资与非硕士毕业生的地区平均工资的差异并考虑了研究期间丧失的工资以及学费和生活成本（使用Mercer统计数据），来考虑10年投资回报率。
我们认为，与一些采用五年法的排名相比，10年的投资回报更具代表性和意义。该方法不涉及贷款或奖学金。我们认识到：没有财务回报计算是完美的，但我们相信：我们采用可用数据进行的投资回报计算已经达到最佳水平

思想领导力

本指标基于来自世界各地95000名专业学者的大学和商学院提名书。这些专业学者选出了自己认为在各自学科领域实力最强的院校。我们还纳入研究影响；根据QS按学科世界大学排名，我们衡量每篇论文的引用率而不是每位教员的引用率。在这里，我们考虑的另一个指标是拥有博士学位教师的百分比。

班级和教师多样性

为了反映课程的多样性，我们考虑课程中女学生和女教师的组合（女学生和女教师比例相等的学校获得尽可能高的分数）。此外，我们从总体上还考虑了商学院留学生和国际教师的比例。

常见问题
 

Q）如果商学院提交了一个以上的课程排名怎么办？

A）只纳入排名最高的课程。这并不是说后续课程的排名不高。进行这些排名的初衷不是澄清。由于我们的主要指标之一包括多样性，纳入或组合来自不同地点的多个课程可能导致数据不准确。

Q）如何计算汇率？

A）截至2019年1月1日，汇率是准确的，而声誉调查中报告的工资是使用相关年份的平均值换算的。转换率确实会波动，我们在计算时会考虑到这一点。

Q）如何验证数据？

A）对从学校收到的所有数据进行核查，包括与历史数据、同等学校和其他已公布来源进行比较（如有可能）。如果发现更准确的信息来源，QS保留更改信息的权利。此外，还对雇主/学术调查问卷中的多项或虚假条目进行了审查。

Q）如果学校没有提供所需的所有数据怎么办？

A）当（少数学校）没有提供数据时，QS全球雇主调查、QS全球学术调查等QS调查与QS公众参与研究一起使用，以作出准确估计。资料来源包括学校的就业报告和班级简介。

Q）如果学校没有提供数据，你如何确定所使用的信息是准确的？

A）将这些案例中使用的信息与若干来源进行比较，并尽可能核实以得出最准确的数字。

Q）如何公平地应用权重以获得总分？

A）我们使用z分数来确保数据的可靠组合，以产生准确和公平的总体排名。你可以在这里阅读更多关于z分数的信息。

Q）为什么你可能希望在场的学校并不在场？

A）不符合排名所需的标准、课程太新、没有提供足够的数据的学校将被排除在外。

Q) 为什么排名顺序会有差距？

A）出版后，QS了解到一些学校不符合排名。我们从排名中删除了这些课程，但其他学校仍保持原来的位置。

Q）我们是商学院，并希望进入下一个排名。我们需要做什么？

A）联系ranking@qs.com，了解关于排名的其他问题。

The world hates stockbrokers. In movies, they never get to be the likable crusaders or the hapless romantic lead. Instead, pick any film about Wall Street, and you’ll find that stockbrokers are either coarse telephone-slammers with their sleeves rolled up and food stains on their shirts or morally bankrupt psychopaths jacked up on cocaine and unafraid to crush their rivals and the world economy along with it.   If you’re an actual stockbroker, a lot of this is going to feel totally unfair. To make things right, we thought we’d put Hollywood’s numerically literate rejects back in the limelight… If you’re hoping to be a stockbroker, or already are one, can you recognise yourself in any of these?

You’re basically just a massive nerd 

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There seems to be a prevailing stereotype that stockbrokers are protein-guzzling gym rats and slick Michael Douglas types who punctuate their speech with expletives that would put Anthony Scaramucci to shame. The truth is, you’re actually just a massive nerd. “Do you lift?” is not a question anyone would think to ask you, but even if they did, you wouldn’t know how to begin to answer that question. Lift what? You don’t even know how to tie your tie properly, for God’s sake.

You find films like Wall Street and Jerry Maguire unwatchable 

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Script writers love to use hollow phrases that sound Wall Street-y to them but that either don’t mean anything to an actual stockbroker or which are based on outdated business concepts, like “buy low, sell high” for instance. When your friends dragged you to see The Wolf of Wall Street, you wanted to enjoy it - you did - but the heavy-handed characterization, boring anti-capitalist subtext and offensive cliches about stockbrokers were too distracting. It took everything not to walk out of the film halfway through because it was too triggering.

Your longest relationship has been with Excel 

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You love spreadsheets so much that everything you’ve ever cared about in life has ended up on one. From holiday trips with your friends to birthdays, you use it to plan and budget every aspect of your personal life because you’re obsessed with number-crunching, planning and precision to the point of madness. Friends and lovers come and go, but Excel remains unchanging and dependable.

Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 about how love cannot be true if it changes for any reason may as well have been written about Excel. The technology is so simple and foolproof, it can withstand all complexities, and you excel at it (pun fully intended). Your formatting is flawless, and you even know a few tricks that would humble Houdini.

You’ve banished certain products from your life as a petty response to losing money on that company’s stock

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As a trader, companies are no longer just acronyms and household brands to you, they’re memories - stocks you either lost or made money on. You get l’esprit d’escalier about stocks you should have invested in - it’s not the cocaine that’s keeping you up at night, it’s the numbers constantly going up and down, like the tide.

Most people only have a vague understanding of what you do 

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You’re a lone sentinel working long shifts from dusk ‘til dawn, keeping an ever-watchful eye on stocks - and most people don’t really get it. Even your parents have a hard time grasping the ins and outs of your job description, but it’s actually quite simple.What could be simpler than charging a percentage fee to advise someone on what stocks and securities to buy or sell, and then executing orders on their behalf?         

You spend your days doing basic math for people

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If you had a penny for every time your colleagues failed to do basic math, you’d be a billionaire by now. It’s really quite shocking to you how many people around you are completely unable to add, subtract, multiply or divide numbers. In whatever social or work situation you find yourself in, you become your entourage’s resident human calculator, performing high-school arithmetic for grown adults. It comes with the job… 

You’ve laughed at one of these terrible jokes 

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Let’s face it, your sense of humour is probably warped from the caffeine and company you keep. What do you think of these terrible jokes?

When asked what the stock market will do, J.P Morgan, the banker, financier, businessman replied: "It will fluctuate!"  

Here’s another one for you…

What's the difference between a bond trader and a bond? The bond matures.  

If you laughed at any of these, we know that it’s not your fault. You’re just a stockbroker. Read more unfunny jokes here.

Later this month, for the first time ever, we’ll be publishing rankings of the best business master’s degree programs around the world. Specifically focusing on management, finance and business analytics, these rankings will provide anyone interested in business and entrepreneurship at postgraduate level with a new way to compare the best business schools and universities for these subjects.

Given the QS World University Rankings: Business Masters Rankings 2018 are the first of their kind, there aren’t results from previous years to look at for clues as to what this year’s edition might contain. However, that hasn’t deterred us from doing some digging for information about what you can expect when the rankings are released on November 28.

An ideal companion piece

The QS Business Masters Rankings 2018 will be published at the same time as the QS World University Rankings: Global MBA Rankings 2018, a ranking of the top full-time MBA programs in the world. Released in partnership with our sister site TopMBA.com, the QS Global MBA Rankings 2018 is a distinct and evolved version of previous MBA rankings published by QS, having been tweaked and adjusted to better match the demands of aspiring entrepreneurs and business students.

Taken together, the QS Business Masters Rankings and QS Global MBA Rankings will provide the business-minded student with everything they need to know when choosing a postgraduate option. With the popularity of specialized business master’s programs on the rise, students will be able to find information about the best finance, management and business analytics programs, and compare that to more traditional MBA courses before deciding which option is right for them.

A world-first

The QS Masters in Business Analytics Rankings 2018 enjoys the privilege of being the first ever global ranking of business analytics programs anywhere in the world. This fast-growing study option is particularly prevalent in the US, with universities such as USC, Michigan State, MIT and Notre Dame offering it as an option.

What is business analytics? Put simply, the field involves looking for statistical patterns in the business world and creating models to plan future business decisions and investments. Ideal for anyone with a love of big data, it’s an increasingly valued skillset in the tech industry as well as in consulting, finance and engineering.

Containing the best 45 business analytics programs in the world, the QS Masters in Business Analytics Rankings 2018 is set to be an unparalleled resource for students interested in this area of study.

Around the world

Finally, while we can’t reveal anything about the contents of the ranking themselves (come back on November 28 for the full results), we can reveal the vast scope of these rankings. Over 350 business schools have been considered and evaluated by the QS Intelligence Unit, with more than 50 countries represented in this initial assessment. This wide net, coupled with the fact these rankings are the first to conduct a truly global employer survey, means there’ll be something of interest for readers in all parts of the world.

Check back on November 28 to find out which schools and universities near you are included in the QS Business Masters Rankings 2018!

Click here to read the 2019 version of this article, based on the QS BRICS University Rankings 2019.

Released today, the QS BRICS University Rankings features 12 top universities in South Africa, based on a methodology which assesses each institution on eight key performance indicators, including its research impact and reputation among academics and employers. The BRICS ranking, first launched in 2013, aims to highlight the 300 of the most prestigious institutions in the five major emerging economies of the BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Read on for an overview of the 10 highest-ranked South African universities in this year’s BRICS, plus information on how each institution performed in the latest QS World University Rankings® and QS World University Rankings by Subject.

1. University of Cape Town

Ranked 19^th in this year’s BRICS and 191^st in the world rankings, the University of Cape Town (UCT) is consistently ranked first among the top universities in South Africa. The oldest university in the country (founded in 1829 as the South African College), UTC is located on the slopes of Devil's Peak at Table Mountain, giving it impressive views. UTC is aiming to be Africa's leading research university and was ranked 26^th in the BRICS ranking for its citations per faculty, a measure of research impact. It has about 29,000 students, many of whom come from outside South Africa, earning it 13^th place for the international students indicator in BRICS.

The University of Cape Town is currently featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for 35 out of a possible 46 subjects, achieving a placing of 10^th for development studies, 47^th for geography and a spot in the top 100 for other subjects such as anatomy & physiology, English language and literature, law studies, architecture and sports-related subjects. 

2. University of the Witwatersrand

The next university in our list of the top universities in South Africa is based in Johannesburg, where the University of the Witwatersrand is ranked 36^th in this year’s BRICS and joint 364^th in the world. More commonly known as Wits University, the university was founded in 1896 as a mining school in Kimberley, and now has around 33,700 students and receives the strongest rank among South African universities for its proportion of international faculty. It counts among its alumni four Nobel Prize winners, including Nelson Mandela.

Living up to its background as a mining school, the University of the Witwatersrand was ranked in the top 50 internationally for mineral & mining engineering, and is joint 18^th for development studies. It’s also ranked among the world’s best for a further 22 subjects.

3. University of Pretoria

Up 11 places this year to rank 38^th in BRICS, the University of Pretoria is also ranked 501-550 in the world and is one of the largest South African universities, with more than 50,000 students and seven campuses. A leading research university, it offers more than 1,800 programs in Afrikaans and English, and in 1949 launched the first MBA program outside of North America. It’s also the only university in the country with a veterinary science faculty.

The University of Pretoria is internationally ranked for 16 subjects, including the top 150 for theology, divinity & religious studies, law and agriculture.

4. Stellenbosch University

Ranked joint 47^th in BRICS and joint 361^st in the world, Stellenbosch University was founded in 1918 in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Another of the largest among these top universities in South Africa, Stellenbosch has 30,850 students (nicknamed maties) enrolled, including 4,000 international students. Like Wits, it receives a very high rank for its international faculty, fourth in the whole BRICS ranking.

Stellenbosch University is ranked among the world’s best for 18 subjects, with positions in the top 100 for development studies, theology, divinity & religious studies, and agriculture.

5. University of Johannesburg

The University of Johannesburg is up five places in this year’s BRICS, now ranked 58^th, and is also currently ranked 601-650 in the world. The youngest of these top universities in South Africa, the University of Johannesburg was formed in 2005 by the merger of Rand Afrikaans University, Technikon Witwatersrand and parts of Vista University. It’s now a large institution of over 50,000 students, including more than 3,000 international students from 80 countries.

Ranked among the world’s best for four subjects, the University of Johannesburg is in the top 100 for development studies.

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

Ranked 80^th in BRICS and 701-750 in the world, the University of KwaZulu-Natal is another of the younger South African universities, also formed by a merger (of the University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal) in 2004. The university is made up of five campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Its scientists play an important role in the global fight against HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis, with the Center for AIDS Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) located on its medical school campus.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal is ranked among the world’s best for six subjects, and is another of the top South African universities to feature in the top 100 for development studies.

7. Rhodes University

Next in our look at the top universities in South Africa is Rhodes University, ranked joint 138^th in BRICS and 701-750 in the world. Rhodes University is located in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape Province, and was founded in 1904. A small, highly residential university of over 8,000 students, Rhodes receives the highest score among South African universities for its proportion of international students, with 18% of students coming from abroad.

Rhodes University is currently ranked in the global top 250 for two subjects: communication and media studies, and English language and literature. 

8. University of the Western Cape

Ranked 146^th in BRICS and 801-1000 in the world, the University of the Western Cape (UWC) was established in 1959 in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, and is known for having played a key role during the struggle against racial discrimination in South African history, playing a clear academic role in helping to build a fair and dynamic nation. UWC has grown to become one of the most diverse universities in the country and has built strong relationships with other universities in South Africa and beyond.

9. University of the Free State

Ranked 161^st in BRICS this year, the University of the Free State (UFS) is a public, multi-campus university in Bloemfontein in the province of the Free State. Founded in 1904 as Grey College, UFS now has around 39,440 students in seven faculties and three campuses. It’s boasted a 221 percent research output increase since 2010, and also has 18 international research partnerships.

10. North-West University

The last in our look at the top 10 South African universities is North-West University, ranked 181-190 in BRICS and in the 801-1000 range of the world rankings. Formed by a merger of Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education and the University of North-West in 2004, the university now has three campuses and more than 64,000 students.

More top universities in South Africa…

Also included within the 300 top universities in the BRICS countries are Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, another new university which was founded through a merger. It’s ranked 191-200 in the BRICS this year. The final South African university to be featured this year is the University of Fort Hare, located in Alice, Eastern Cape province, which is a new entrant in the BRICS ranking this year at 251-300.

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Tsinghua University has earned the distinction of being the best university in the BRICS nations this year, according to the newly released QS BRICS University Rankings 2018.

The ranking, which showcases the best universities in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has been expanded this year to include 300 institutions, although this has had little impact on the dominance of Chinese universities in the top 10. As with the previous edition of the ranking, seven of the top 10 universities are based in China.

Unsurprisingly, China is the most represented country in this year’s ranking, followed by Russia. By contrast, only 12 South Africa universities are included, the highest-ranked of these being the University of Cape Town in 19^th place – a fall of five places since last year.

As with the top 10, there is little movement in the top 50, with only four universities breaking in since last time. Those institutions are: National Research University – Higher School of Economics, Tomsk Polytechnic University (both based in Russia), Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo and Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (both Brazil).

This ranking closely follows the other QS World University Rankings by Region published this year, which can be found by clicking here. For more information on how this year’s ranking was compiled, click here.