Shanghai finance school shines in degree rankings

The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance has made its debut in the Financial Times' annual ranking of the best Masters in Finance programs in the world, coming second in Asia and 28th in the world. For value for money, SAIF ranked 1st in Asia and 2nd globally.

The FT rankings for Masters in Finance programs, started in 2011, are calculated according to information provided by business schools and their alumni. Ranks are based on a total of 16 criteria, including salary, value for money, and diversity of faculty and students.

The 2016 edition saw 55 schools included in the ranking. SAIF is a new entrant following its accreditation in February by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, the oldest and one of the most prestigious global accrediting bodies for business schools.

In addition to value for money and its overall score, SAIF also outshone its Asian peers in terms of international mobility, international course experience, and faculty with doctorates.

SAIF was established in 2009 as part of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with the goal of supporting the development of Shanghai into a global financial center. SAIF boasts a faculty composed of about 60 professors — all with PhD degrees from overseas universities and more than 40 with tenured positions from top business schools in North America and Europe.

The Masters in Finance program is a flagship of SAIF with an average acceptance rate of lower than 5 percent since it first opened to students in the fall of 2009.

"The FT ranking affirms our efforts to offer the best education in finance to the young talent of tomorrow and recognizes the achievements we have made on the journey to becoming the best in the world," said Chun Chang, executive dean of SAIF.

The program provides students with a curriculum rooted in modern financial theory, which delivers sophisticated quantitative and analytical tools and imparts state-of-the-art practical knowledge and skills to meet the rigors of a profession in finance. The program is committed to fostering exceptional leadership and communication skills, the highest levels of professionalism, and an exemplary sense of social responsibility, according to Chun.