EDHEC ranked 3rd worldwide by the Financial Times for research with impact: a longstanding commitment shared by the EDHEC Climate Institute

EDHEC Business School has been ranked 1st in France and 3rd worldwide in the Financial Times' 2026 assessment of practitioner-oriented research publications. This international recognition highlights a research model developed over 25 years, combining academic excellence with real-world relevance. The EDHEC Climate Institute carries forward this ambition, building on decades of applied research in climate and finance to inform investment decisions, financial practices and climate policy.

A 25-year commitment to research with impact

The Financial Times' 2026 assessment of business school research impact examines how academic research contributes to business practice and policymaking. In the practitioner-oriented publications ranking, EDHEC Business School places third worldwide, behind IMD and Tias Business School, and ahead of institutions including Wharton, INSEAD and London Business School.

The assessment focuses on articles published in selected international journals* aimed at practitioners and decision-makers. It considers three indicators: the number of publications, research output relative to faculty size, and academic citations.

This recognition reflects a distinctive research strategy that has been part of EDHEC's identity for more than two decades.

In 2001, EDHEC-Risk Institute pioneered the School's Research for Business approach, combining academic rigour with relevance to professional practice and the effective dissemination of research findings. This philosophy has since evolved into a broader Research for Impact ambition.

From the outset, the objective extended beyond publishing in leading academic journals. Academic research was expected not only to meet the highest scientific standards but also to be accessible to professionals and contribute to changing industry practices.

As Emmanuel Métais, Dean of EDHEC Business School, emphasises:

“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.”

The EDHEC Climate Institute: building on a longstanding research heritage

The EDHEC Climate Institute embodies this commitment to academically rigorous research with practical relevance.

Bringing together expertise developed over more than 20 years, the Institute builds on the longstanding work of the EDHEC Risk Climate Impact Institute, the Green Infra team of EDHEC Infra & Private Assets Research Institute, and ESG experts from Scientific Portfolio.

This combination of expertise enables the Institute to address the financial implications of climate change through advanced quantitative research, with a particular focus on climate-related financial risks, asset valuation, investment strategies and climate policy.

The Institute's research heritage is especially relevant to the Financial Times assessment, which covers publications dating back to 2023. During this period, researchers from the teams and institutes that contribute to today's EDHEC Climate Institute published articles in journals recognised by the FT for their relevance to professional audiences.

Among these is The Journal of Portfolio Management, one of the journals explicitly included in the ranking.

These publications illustrate how research developed across EDHEC's institutes combines scientific rigour with questions of direct relevance to investors, financial institutions and policymakers.

The Institute systematically seeks to validate the academic quality of its research through publication in leading scholarly journals. Its academic publications reflect this commitment to scientific excellence and practical relevance.

Six publications illustrating research for practitioners

A review of EDHEC's academic publication records identifies six articles published in The Journal of Portfolio Management between 2023 and 2025 by researchers associated with the teams and institutes whose expertise contributes to today's EDHEC Climate Institute.

Several of these studies focus specifically on the financial implications of climate change, examining how physical and transition risks affect asset valuations, how climate risk is reflected in financial markets, and how investors can better understand and manage climate-related uncertainty.

Together, they illustrate the Institute's commitment to research that combines scientific rigour with the practical challenges facing investors and financial decision-makers.

Continuing to bridge climate science and decision-making

The Financial Times recognition is an opportunity to celebrate the collective achievements of EDHEC's faculty, research institutes, centres and chairs, and the broader research community that has contributed to the School's distinctive approach.

For the EDHEC Climate Institute, it also highlights the importance of a research model that connects academic excellence with the needs of decision-makers.

As climate change reshapes financial markets, investment strategies and economic policy, the need for scientifically robust and decision-useful research continues to grow.

Building on more than two decades of expertise in climate and finance, the EDHEC Climate Institute remains committed to advancing knowledge, informing professional practice and supporting better-informed decisions in the face of climate change.

*Journals included in the Financial Times' Practitioner Publications ranking: 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, and MIT Sloan Management Review.

Read the Financial Times' Business School Research with Impact assessment