UPF Barcelona School of Management recognized once again as a ‘Transforming school’ in the Positive Impact Rating 2026

UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year as a Transforming School by the Positive Impact Rating (PIR), an international ranking that recognizes responsible business education, social impact, and sustainability among the world's leading business schools, based on students’ own assessments

In this seventh edition, which included students from 90 business schools across 32 countries, UPF-BSM achieved a Level 4 rating – Transforming School, defined as having a positive impact culture embedded in governance and systems, with visible outcomes across multiple impact dimensions.

This achievement adds to the school’s recent inclusion in the Financial Times Executive Education Custom Ranking 2026 for the fourth consecutive year, as well as the Financial Times Masters in Finance Ranking 2026, in which UPF-BSM was ranked for the first time this year.

“The Positive Impact Rating 2026 recognition reinforces our commitment to educating leaders who are capable of addressing major social, environmental, and economic challenges with rigor and ethics, thereby promoting social transformation and a commitment to culture and global well-being,” said José M. Martínez-Sierra, General Director of UPF-BSM.

The 2026 edition of the Positive Impact Rating (PIR) marks a turning point. After seven years of development, the PIR is no longer solely a tool for measuring student perceptions but has evolved into an institutional transformation platform aimed at helping business schools generate genuine positive impact in society.

The central theme of this year’s edition, Closing the Implementation Gap, reflects a significant shift. According to the PIR, what students now demand is not more programs or declarative commitments, but governance routines, cultural practices, and operational systems capable of translating stated ambitions into lasting and tangible institutional change.

“At UPF-BSM, we understand positive social impact as a core responsibility of our mission. Our goal is to continue advancing the integration of social impact across all areas of the institution, turning this purpose into an increasingly visible and structural practice,” commented Ana Freire, Vice Dean for Social Impact and Academic Innovation at UPF-BSM.

A rating based on students’ perspectives

The Positive Impact Rating (PIR) has expanded both its scope and depth. In the 2026 edition, it gathered more than 20,000 student responses from 90 business schools. Students from around the world (32 countries) evaluated the perceived positive impact of their schools, extending beyond economic and business contributions. The rating aims to serve as a catalyst for change, fostering transformation within higher education and business schools by giving a voice to the key stakeholders: students.

The PIR assessment is based on seven key impact dimensions: governance, culture, programs, learning methods, student support, the institution as a role model, and public engagement. A school’s overall score places it within one of five impact development levels: Beginning, Emerging, Progressing, Transforming (the level achieved by UPF-BSM), and Pioneering.

One of the main innovations introduced in 2026 is the addition of the Research Impact dimension, evaluated by faculty members. The PIR has thus expanded its traditional framework (Energize, Educate, and Engage) with a fourth dimension, Enable, which assesses the extent to which research contributes to understanding and addressing relevant societal challenges, fosters engagement with stakeholders, and is institutionally recognized for its social impact.