KPMG, the global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services, has been ranked second on Universum’s 2010 index of ‘The World’s Most Attractive Employers.’

The rankings are based on the opinions of nearly 130,000 students from top academic institutions in the world’s 12 leading economies – the US, China, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Canada, Russia and India.

Universum, a global talent consultant, develops its global index of the top 50 most attractive employers by asking students pursuing business and engineering degrees to identify “ideal” employers.

KPMG ranked second on the index of most attractive employers for business students for 2010, moving up six places from its eighth place ranking in the 2009 index.

KPMG member firms have recruited approximately 15,000 graduates globally over the past year.

Rachel Campbell, global head of people, KPMG International, said the company’s graduate hires benefit from the learning and development programmes in place so that they can gain the technical, business and leadership skills as well as the global perspective necessary to build a rewarding career.

Graduates were also attracted by opportunities KPMG offered such as the Global Mobility Programme that enables them to take on assignments all around the world.

KPMG has recruited over 94 students from the University of Malta in the past three years, according to senior partner Joseph Schembri. There are over 65 students in its graduate recruitment programme who are committed to a career with the firm following graduation.

“This confirms the firm’s standing as an employer of choice among Maltese accounting and business graduates,” Mr Schembri added.

The full list of ‘The World’s Most Attractive Employers 2010’ is available at http://universumglobal.com/IDEAL-Employer-Rankings/Global-Top-50 .