Five Portuguese Masters in Finance among the best in the world

Portugal is represented by five faculties in the list of the 70 best in the world for a Master's degree in Finance . The Nova School of Business and Economics ( Nova SBE ), Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão ( ISEG ), Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Porto ( FEP ) and Católica Porto Business School are in the 2025 Financial Times ranking .

Among the five, the entry of another school from the Portuguese Catholic University stands out – the Católica Porto Business School – and the position of Nova SBE, which achieved the highest place in the table and rose compared to last year, from 7th to 6th. In fact, Nova SBE rose five positions since 2023 and achieved the best result ever for a Portuguese school.

The dean of Nova SBE says that indicators such as the international professional mobility of graduates “prove the truly international experience” that students have when studying at the campus in Carcavelos, “with a diverse faculty and a clear focus on global and quality employability”.

“In addition, the quality of our teaching methods makes our teaching more efficient, preparing our graduates for the contemporary corporate reality and to respond in a practical way to the challenges of the companies that hire them”, says Pedro Oliveira.

Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics ranked 23rd , but dropped sharply from its 16th place in 2024.

Just below is ISEG (27th), which rose three places from one year to the next . ISEG is included in the global ranking of the best Masters in Finance for the sixth consecutive time, having been in the top 30 for the last three years. For ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management, which is part of the public higher education system, its continued presence in the British newspaper's ranking is confirmation of its international reputation and its “commitment to quality” in teaching, “supporting students' careers and creating a positive impact on society”.

“This international recognition shows that ISEG is at the forefront of Finance training, not only in Portugal, but globally. We are proud to have climbed this highly competitive ranking , which reinforces our mission to train excellent professionals, prepared for the challenges of a constantly changing world,” said ISEG President João Duque.

There is also good news for FEP, which moved up to 41st place from its previous 55th, thus achieving its best ever position, mainly due to the indicators that assess the relationship between academic investment and professional return, career progression, sustainability and the promotion of diversity.

The director of FEP said that this result represents “a milestone of great importance for the entire academic community” and took the opportunity to thank “all those who, on a daily basis, contribute to strengthening the quality and reputation of the faculty – students, alumni , teaching and non-teaching staff, institutional partners and employers”.

According to Óscar Afonso, “FEP’s presence in this demanding ranking is, more than a recognition, an incentive to continue investing in excellent, internationally relevant and socially responsible education”.

In 63rd place was Católica Porto Business School, a newcomer to this Financial Times table of the best masters in finance worldwide.

The “Masters in Finance 2025” ranking evaluates 19 indicators, organized into categories such as graduates’ career progress, diversity, international experience, research and ESG ( Environmental , Social and Governance ) criteria.

The analysis is based on two separate surveys, addressed to schools of economics and management and to alumni who completed their master's degree in 2022. To be eligible, higher education institutions must meet several quality criteria, including having international accreditations, including AACSB – Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.