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CONTACT: communications@mail.cox.smu.edu

DALLAS, Texas (SMU) - The Financial Times (London), one of the world's leading business newspapers, has just ranked the Division of Executive & Management Development at SMU's Cox School of Business 13th in the nation and 17th in the world for its open enrollment programs. SMU Cox was the only Texas school ranked among the top 45 schools worldwide for open-enrollment programs, and is the only school in the southwest United States that ranked among the top 20.

"Executive education programs are a core part of our business at SMU Cox, and the Financial Times ranking confirms our growing stature as one of the world's leading resources for executive and management development," said Albert W. Niemi, Jr., dean of SMU's Cox School of Business.

The rankings of open enrollment programs included surveys of both business schools and program participants, but were based 80 percent on the feedback of actual participants. In these international rankings, SMU Cox Division of Executive and Management Development placed among the top 10 worldwide in Quality of Participants (5th), New Skills and Learning (9th), and Aims Fulfilled (7th). The improvement in Financial Times rankings from 2001, where SMU Cox placed 24th in the world and 15th in the nation, validates the increasing relevance and quality of the SMU Cox executive education offerings and follows a Top 20 ranking of the school's Executive MBA program by BusinessWeek.

"We're thrilled to have made Financial Times' international ranking again this year, especially when you consider how many business schools throughout the world are seriously engaged in the business of executive education," said Robert Gardner, director of the Division of Executive & Management Development. "The fact that Financial Times relied largely on surveys of course participants gives the ranking significant credibility. It means the final tally represents a user's perspective as to the quality of their learning experience here at SMU Cox. We were especially gratified to be ranked among the top 10 for participant quality, skills and learning, and fulfillment of participant expectations."

SMU Cox is committed to the professional growth of business professionals, managers, and executives, and the businesses they work for. In 2003, the school breaks ground on the new James M. Collins Executive Education Center, a state-of-the-art teaching and conference facility that will house the Cox School's Division of Executive and Management Development and the Executive MBA program. The Collins Center will serve as a hub of business learning, meeting the evolving educational needs of the business community.

The Division of Executive & Management Development at SMU's Cox School of Business provides working professionals access to both tactical and strategic business seminars. In 2001, open enrollment executive education offerings included 30 different programs, which attracted some 2,954 participants from 37 countries during the timeframe of the survey. Cox has been offering executive education programs in Dallas and around the world for more than 20 years through its Division of Executive and Management Development.

SMU's Cox School of Business offers a full range of business education programs, from BBA and full-time MBA to Professional MBA (PMBA), Executive MBA (EMBA), and Executive Education. Cox is ranked among the top business schools nationally and internationally by major publications including BusinessWeek, Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report. In addition, the school's Business Leadership Center (BLC), Caruth Institute of Owner-Managed Business, American Airlines Global Leadership Program (GLP), and Associate Board executive mentoring program are recognized nationally and internationally.