Cover Story
Top 10 Art & Design and B-Schools in Spain - 2025
Spain has steadily emerged as a sought-after destination for students pursuing education in arts, design, and business, offering a distinctive blend of academic excellence, cultural depth, and global relevance. Renowned for its creative heritage, innovative design ecosystem, and strong business environment, the country provides an ideal setting for institutions that nurture both artistic expression and strategic thinking. Arts and design colleges across Spain are deeply influenced by the nation’s rich traditions in architecture, fashion, visual arts, and digital design, while actively embracing contemporary practices and emerging technologies.
At the same time, Spain’s B-schools have gained international recognition for their forward-looking curricula, emphasis on entrepreneurship, and close ties with global industries. These institutions focus on developing leaders equipped to navigate complex business landscapes, with programs that integrate management fundamentals, digital transformation, sustainability, and global perspectives. The presence of multinational companies, thriving startup hubs, and strong links to European and Latin American markets further enhances Spain’s appeal as a business education hub.
What sets Spain apart is the interdisciplinary approach adopted by many institutions, where creativity meets commerce and innovation intersects with strategy. Students benefit from experiential learning, industry collaboration, and exposure to real-world challenges, preparing them for careers in creative industries, management, consulting, and entrepreneurship. As global education continues to evolve, arts & design colleges and B-schools in Spain stand out for their ability to combine academic rigor with cultural immersion, making them compelling choices for students seeking globally relevant and future-ready education.
This issue of Higher Education Review talks about some of the professionally managed colleges in the country, which has been nurtured with best technical and professional infrastructure and assistance from efficient and skilled faculties ensuring delivery of quality higher education and research. This issue spotlights a list of ‘Top 10 Art & Design and B-Schools in Spain - 2025’, the list has been crafted by a team of Industry veterans, CEOs, VCs and the Higher Education Review editorial team.
Top 10 Art & Design and B-Schools in Spain - 2025
College Logo |
College |
Management |
Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
BAU College of Arts & Design of Barcelona
Barcelona
|
Christian Giribets, Director - Marketing & Institutional Relations | Offers programs that integrate theory, practice, and applied research, constantly evolving to align with cultural, technological, and societal changes, with courses combining theoretical foundations, studio work, and more |
|
EADA Business School
Barcelona
|
Davide Luzzini, Dean | Offers a range of business programs, including MBA, Executive MBA, and Master’s in Management, all designed to provide students with a solid foundation in leadership, strategy, and management |
|
ESADE Business School
Barcelona
|
Prof. Lisa Hehenberger, Dean | Provides an international and practice-oriented business education, including a BBA, Specialized Master’s, and a flexible 12–18 month Full-Time MBA course |
|
IE Business School
Madrid
|
Lee Newman, Dean | Offers business programs, including MBAs, specialized Masters, and undergraduate degrees, with a focus on entrepreneurship, sustainability, and digital innovation |
|
IESE Business School
Barcelona
|
Franz Heukamp, Dean | Offers a variety of toptier business programs, including MBA, Executive MBA, and Master’s in Management, focused on developing visionary leaders with a global perspective |
|
IME Business School
Salamanca
|
Julio Pindado, Chairman | Provides postgraduate programs like a general MBA (with specializations), and an Agri-Food MBA (MBA DEA), all using practical, casebased learning to build management skills |
|
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Barcelona
|
Javier Lafuente Sancho, Rector | Provides a comprehensive range of English and Spanish/Catalan-taught programs (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD) across arts, humanities, social/health/ technological sciences, and business |
|
Universitat de Barcelona
Barcelona
|
Joan Guàrdia Olmos, Rector | Offers a wide array of academic courses, including over master’s degrees, postgraduate programs, and bachelor’s degrees across Arts, Sciences, Health, Social, and Engineering fields |
|
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Barcelona
|
Laia de Nadal Clanchet, Rector | Provides academic courses across social/human sciences, health/life sciences, and information/ communication technologies, with programs available in Catalan, Spanish, and English |
|
UPV Universitat Politècnica de València
Valencia
|
Prof. José Capilla Romá, Rector | The university provides diverse Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD programs in engineering, architecture, sciences, arts, and humanities, known for research, internationalization, and technical focus |


