BlueSky Media Connect Online - Inside Scoop
The Future of Business School Rankings: What Every Business School Needs to Know
What You'll Discover In This 54-Minute Deep Dive
- Why rankings have lost their original impact despite our obsession with them
- How fewer publications covering rankings affects the entire industry
- Why selective participation in rankings can be a winning strategy
- Real examples of how schools optimise their ranking performance
- Why US schools are struggling with FT participation under current political climate
- Which rankings still carry weight with stakeholders in 2025
- The rise of LinkedIn rankings and why they might be more credible
- How AI will disrupt undergraduate business education more than graduate programmes
- Why employment rates matter more than salary figures
- The three metrics John A. Byrne would use if he created the perfect ranking
About Your Host
Few know the intersection of business education and global media better than Matt Symonds. A former journalist for the BBC, The Economist, Forbes, and Bloomberg, Matt is also the S in QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the co-founder of CentreCourt with Poets & Quants, and an expert in crafting meaningful dialogue between media and higher education.
With over 15 years of experience organising high-profile media conferences in London, Paris, and beyond, Matt brings unparalleled insight into what makes stories resonate and how communications professionals can earn their place in the global news cycle.
Featured Guest: John A. Byrne
John A. Byrne created the world's first MBA ranking in 1988 and has spent over three decades shaping how we think about business education. As Editor-in-Chief of Poets & Quants, he's interviewed hundreds of deans and tracked every major shift in the industry. His coverage reaches the entire business education ecosystem - from prospective students to university presidents.
"John, quite simply, has changed the way that we think about business schools... He's the king of BizEd." - Matt Symonds
Episode 1: Free Access: This introductory episode of BlueSky Media Connect Online - Inside Scoop is freely available to all business school professionals.
Episode 2 will be exclusively available to attendees of the BlueSky Media Connect Conference in London, 21 & 22 Oct 2025
Watch The Full Interview Now
Join Us In London
BlueSky Media Connect Conference: 21-22 October 2025 | London
Connect with 20+ editors and reporters over an insightful two-day event dedicated to forging stronger, smarter connections between business schools, higher education professionals and the world’s most influential media.
BlueSky Media Connect is tailored for communications, PR, media relations, marketing, and branding professionals working within business schools, universities, and other higher education institutions, as well as those representing corporate firms in the education sector. If your role involves shaping institutional narratives, pitching to the media, or building brand visibility in the education space, this conference is designed specifically for you.
Conference Registration Includes:
- Candid panels with editors and journalists from the world’s most trusted news brands: Bloomberg, FT, The Economist, Forbes, Reuters, TIME, The Guardian, Business Insider, The Times, and more.
- Unfiltered insights into what makes a story stick, how editorial decisions are made, and the kind of pitches that get noticed (and the ones that don’t).
- Immediate networking after each panel - connect directly with media decision-makers in a relaxed, professional setting.
- Interactive workshops led by BlueSky’s expert consultants, who bring years of experience in education PR and media relations.
- Drinks Reception on the evening of Monday October 20th, giving you the chance to mingle with fellow attendees and journalists in a relaxed, informal setting before the conference begins.
- Then, wrap up the conference with our fabulous BlueSky Media Connect Conference Dinner on October 22nd—an exclusive gathering where conversations with peers continues in a more informal and intimate environment.
We’ve also co-ordinated the event to coincide with the Financial Times Business Education Drinks Reception on October 21*.
Ready To Shape The Narrative?
The media landscape is evolving rapidly. Rankings methodologies are shifting. New competitors are emerging globally. Ensure your school's story is being told by the right people in the right way.