There is an air of déjà vu about the top of the 2013 Financial Times Global MBA Ranking – but with a twist: the same five business schools retain the hard-won top places, but the order has changed. The 15th edition of the ranking sees the return of Harvard Business School to the top spot, eight years after it last held the position.

While eight schools over the past 15 years made it into the top five places, four schools have dominated this elite group. Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania: Wharton share the distinction of having made the top five in all 15 editions. Columbia Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business have been ranked outside the top five only twice. London Business School has been in the top five 10 times and Insead four.

The FT ranking is based on recent surveys of business schools and of alumni who graduated in 2009. MBA programmes are assessed according to alumni career progression, their international exposure, diversity of students and staff, and the quality of faculty and research.