European Quality Improvement System

The European Quality Improvement System (or 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 June 2012, EQUIS has accredited 138 business schools in 38 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 1998 under Gordon Shenton and the current director is Julio Urgel. In the past twelve years of existence the organization has accredited 138 institutions in 38 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. In this respect EQUIS accreditation is more demanding than AACSB—so far all fully accredited EQUIS business schools applying for AACSB accreditation have succeeded, which has not been the case the other way.^{[citation needed]}

EQUIS accreditation can be granted conditionally for three years (with annual progress reports required) or unconditionally for five years.

See also

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

External links

• EQUIS on EFMD website