Matt Symonds is one of the most well-known names in business education. We sit down with him to find out more about him, what he’s focusing on right now, and his thoughts on the state of business schools today.

From the individual who has created world-renowned rankings, articles and more for this industry, here are his words:

Tell us about your career background and how it brought you to where you are today

At a high school parents’ meeting, my mum quietly listened as the headmaster expressed his concern about one of the students whose lunchtime comic and sweets stand was diverting significant funds from the schools own tuck store. The school made me close down the venture, but I’ve been building businesses ever since I left school.

The S of QS, co-Founder of BlueSky Education, Fortuna Admissions and Kaplan Test Prep Europe, co-host of the CentreCourt MBA & Masters Festival with Poets&Quants, bestselling author … my LinkedIn profile has become a lengthy list of entrepreneurial experiences, but there was no masterplan. It was more like following the breadcrumbs and occasionally tripping over them.

But there are three themes that tie everything together.

1. I love to help people shine. From talented candidates investing in their personal and professional development, to expert faculty and thoughtful business school deans, to colleagues who want to make a difference and find a sense of purpose, I love to see them realise their extraordinary potential, and play a small part to help them achieve their goals
2. I’ve achieved nothing by myself. In every venture I’ve had inspiring business associates, remarkable teammates, super smart co-authors and editors, supportive family and friends, and clients that are more like partners. They are the constant source of ideas, energy, accomplishment and fun. My trust and belief in them has been repaid over and over.
3. Great ideas should be shared. Whether writing about biz ed and management for The Economist, BBC, Forbes and Bloomberg, or editing articles about impactful business school research for BlueSky Thinking, I am forever a student. I’m curious about how the world works, how people connect and how business education can make a positive impact.

Apart from working in a car factory for a year, my entire career has centred around higher and business education. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to enjoy such a dynamic and essential industry, and with the team at BlueSky we hope to write many more exciting chapters in the years to come.

What are you focusing on right now?

In the age of AI and digital overload, our ability to personally connect with editors and journalists makes the world of difference. Over the past 17 years, BlueSky Education has become a leading communications and consulting agency for business education, and with our growing team in the UK, continental Europe and North America we are continually focused on delivering outstanding results.

We’ve successfully worked with more than 85 of the world’s top business schools and universities, and in the past year we secured over 85 pieces of coverage for clients in the FT, and more than 360 features in the BBC, Forbes, Reuters, Bloomberg, WSJ, Fortune, CNBC, Fast Company, Newsweek and Wired.

We are very excited to host over 70 schools at the BlueSky Media Connect Conference in London on 21 & 22 October, to coincide with the annual FT Business Education Drinks Reception. I’ve been organising media conferences for 20 years, and I’ve never seen such an amazing line up of panels and fireside chats with editors and reporters from leading global and UK media.

And with BlueSky-Thinking.com, a platform that brings the insights and research of faculty to a worldwide audience, our amazing team is focused on creating content and conversations that matter.

What are your favourite aspects of working in business education?

Always, always the people! Business education attracts a wonderfully diverse mix of talent, problem-solvers, thought leaders and big dreamers. One week you’re talking with a dean about AI in the classroom, the next with a 24-year-old applicant who wants to “make the world better and make money” – and rightly believes both are possible. The fact that business schools really do change lives (and occasionally change the world) is what keeps me hooked.

What are the biggest challenges facing business schools today?

How long have you got? Schools are grappling with digital disruption, shifting demographics, declining demand in some markets, rising expectations about diversity, inclusion, and sustainability, and students who expect an iPhone-style user experience from a decades-old institution. Oh, and let’s not forget the challenge of preparing leaders for a world where the half-life of skills is shorter than a TikTok trend.

But I’m truly optimistic. I remember a joint EFMD-AACSB Conference held in Paris over twenty years ago when the then Business Schools Editor of the FT, Della Bradshaw participated in a panel talking about the demise of the MBA. But the degree is still with us, alongside a compelling array of Specialised Masters and Exec Ed programmes. And as we reconsider the future of work, recruiters are looking for professionals who can adapt, think strategically, be creative, manage teams of humans and AI agents – that’s a sweet spot for MBA graduates and executives who have tech fluency, business strategy and human leadership skills.

On BlueSky Thinking we just published a directory of 50 Exec Ed courses to get smart about AI. From Brussels and Boston to Helsinki and Hyderabad there are so many great options to upskill and redefine both careers and organisations.

And entrepreneurs? Business schools are an amazing place to build, test and launch ideas, with the support of invaluable networks and preferential access to capital.

How have you seen priorities within the industry change?

When I first started, business school rankings were the north star. If you weren’t moving up the charts, you were moving backwards. Today, the conversation is shifting towards impact, inclusion, sustainability and innovation. Schools are expected not only to deliver strong career outcomes but also to show that they’re part of the solution to global challenges. Students now ask, “Will this school prepare me for a meaningful career?” And they really mean meaningful.

It is so motivating to see schools like Polimi Graduate School of Management in Italy placing so much emphasis on purpose, INSEAD embedding sustainability into the core curriculum, and Imperial Business School exploring global health management.

How do you see business education evolving in future?

I think it’s going to look less like a one-off degree and more like a lifelong partnership. Modular learning, stackable credentials, online/offline hybrids – all of this will grow. The best schools will become learning hubs you return to throughout your career, rather than one stop on the way. And hopefully, they’ll remain places where ideas are challenged, friendships are forged, and lifelong caffeine habits are sustained.

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives, visit the conversation on Business Education.