Accreditations – Seal of approval for MBA and Masters Programs
What to keep in mind when looking at accreditations
Accreditations can be useful in deciding which Masters or MBA program to attend.
They serve as a guideline to the quality of the program and as a validation of
programs, particularly if they are international in outlook, as it is the case with MBA/Master programs. As a general rule, programs that have been accredited by an official
accreditation body ensure a higher quality compared to those that are not accredited,
either nationally or internationally.
NOTE: PROGRAMS OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU)
If your Masters or MBA program is accredited by one of the accreditation organizations below, its title should generally be accepted throughout the EU. Should your program be accredited by any other accreditation body, we recommend that you check with the respective ministry of education, as some degrees, even those from so-called top business schools, are not valid within the European Union.
NOTE: SWITZERLAND
Generally, programs offered by Switzerland’s public universities are recognized widely. For private universities, however, we recommend that you carefully research what type of accreditation the institution holds, when and where it was issued and whether your own country accepts the qualification.
Accreditation in India
In India, unlike the USA, accreditation of universities is required by law, unless the institution has been created by a parliamentary mandate. According to the University
Grants Commission Act (1956)
"the right of conferring or granting degrees shall be exercised only by a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act carlo bon tempo, or a State Act, or an Institution deemed to be University or an institution specially empowered by an Act of the Parliament to confer or grant
degrees. Thus, any institution which has not been created by an enactment of Parliament or a State Legislature or has not been granted the status of a Deemed to
be University, is not entitled to award a degree."
Accreditation for higher education in India is overseen by autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission. Find the most important Indian accrediting agencies below.
- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
accredits business schools/colleges/universities.
- National Board of Accreditation (NBA)
accredits specific programs in the following disciplines: Engineering and Technology, Management, Architecture, Pharmacy, Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Town and Country Planning, Applied Arts and Crafts.
- NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council)
is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country. Along with the rapid growth of the economy the system of higher education in India has expanded during the last fifty years. In spite of the built-in regulatory mechanisms that ensure satisfactory levels of quality in the functioning of higher education institutions, there has been criticism that the country has permitted the mushrooming of institutions of higher education with substandard facilities. To address the issues of deteriorating quality, the National Policy on Education (1986) and the Plan of Action (POA-1992) established the NAAC as an independent national accreditation body in 1994. The institution has its headquarters in Bangalore.
Accreditation in the US
AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)
The AACSB accreditation is one of the oldest accreditations and also the most extensive of all major accreditation bodies. It grants accreditation for undergraduate and graduate business administration and accounting programs. Mostly US focused, the majority of AACSB accredited institutions are in North America, however, the AACSB also accredits international programs and increasingly, non-US programs and institutions seek AACSB accreditation. AACSB accreditation represents a high standard of achievement for business schools worldwide and institutions with AACSB accreditation will have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in management education. More information on:
AMBA introduced their accreditation service in the early 1980s and currently accredits 160 programs in 68 countries. Based in the UK, AMBA accredits MBA programs worldwide and focuses its accreditation on every aspect of MBA provision at the MBA institution such as faculty, students, curriculum, assessment and other factors.In addition to accrediting MBA programs, the AMBA accreditation extends to MBM (Masters in Business and Management) since 2005 and to DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) since 2006. More information on:
Introduced by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) in 1997
as an accreditation institute for Management Development in Brussels, EQUIS currently accredits 110 business schools in 31 countries worldwide. The EQUIS accreditation is not solely available for MBA programs but extends to all programs offered by an institution from a first degree to a PhD. Despite being just over 10 years old, the EQUIS accreditation has made a significant impact in the market. Assessing institutions as a whole, EQUIS accredited institutions demonstrate high standards on all levels of their activities as well as a high level of internationalisation. More information on: http://www.efmd.org/
FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation)
Established in 1994 by five business associations from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, FIBAA accredits Bachelor, Masters and Diploma courses in the field of business administration, business psychology, business law and others, in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. FIBAA audits and assesses private and public higher education institutions in order to facilitate transparency in the German-speaking market.
Those planning to pursue a Masters education in the respective countries should check if the program carries the FIBAA seal. More information on: www.fibaa.de
