European Quality Improvement System

"EQUIS" redirects here. For other uses, see Equis.

The EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) is a school accreditation system. It specializes in higher education institutions of management and business administration, run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). As of October 2014, EQUIS has accredited 149 business schools in 40 countries around the world.

Scope of business school accreditation for AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA

Number of schools with single, double and triple (AACSB-AMBA-EQUIS) accreditation outside North America

History

EQUIS was created in 1997 under Gordon Shenton and the current director is Michael Osbaldeston. In the past 17 years of existence the organization has accredited 149 institutions in 40 countries.

Object of the accreditation

The accreditation is awarded to business schools based on general quality. The process also takes into account the business school's level of internationalization, which is not a strict requirement for accreditation by the other two major international accreditation bodies: AACSB and AMBA. So far all fully accredited EQUIS business schools applying for AACSB accreditation have succeeded, which has not been the case the other way.

EQUIS accreditation can be granted for three years (with annual progress reports on the areas of improvement required) or for five years (with a mid-term progress report on development objectives required).

See also

• Association of MBAs (AMBA)
• Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
• List of EQUIS accredited institutions
• Triple accreditation

External links

• EQUIS on EFMD official website