We are delighted to announce that the School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and the University of Aberdeen Business School, United Kingdom, have achieved EQUIS accreditation. Congratulations, and welcome to the EQUIS community!

Alfons Sauquet, Quality Services & EQUIS Director, commented, ‘Congratulations to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam SBE and the University of Aberdeen Business School for earning EQUIS accreditation! It recognises the schools’ commitment to academic excellence and responsible teaching firmly grounded in ethics and sustainability. EQUIS, with 220 schools across 45 countries, sets a global standard for quality business education. May this achievement serve as a catalyst for continued strides in your pursuit of excellence in education and leadership.

School of Business and Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a public research university offering a scientific and value-driven education with a profound social orientation. The School of Business and Economics is acknowledged for its high-level research, diversity, and teaching quality. Established in 1948 with fewer than 100 students, it has grown significantly, currently enrolling more than 7000 learners with the mission to positively contribute to science, business, and humanity. The EQUIS accreditation lauded the school’s collaborative culture and its robust commitment to ethics, responsibility, and sustainability.

‘Receiving EQUIS accreditation is a testament to the unwavering commitment and hard work of our staff and students. As the Dean of SBE, I am immensely proud of our collective achievement. EQUIS accreditation not only acknowledges our commitment to academic rigor but also highlights the impact we have on our students, alumni, and the broader business community. This accomplishment reinforces our standing among the world’s leading business schools and underscores the value of SBE teaching and research,’ commented Arjen van Witteloostuijn, Dean, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, School of Business and Economics.

 University of Aberdeen Business School

The University of Aberdeen Business School is part of the University of Aberdeen, the fifth oldest university in the United Kingdom. With over 15,000 students from 120 nationalities, it boasts a global presence, including an offshore campus in Doha, Qatar. The school’s mission centres on “Powering change for better businesses and better lives” through impactful research and the development of ethical, international leaders. This commitment was recognised by the EQUIS accreditation, emphasising its consistent approach to ethics, responsibility, and sustainability, particularly in the realm of energy transition.

‘We are delighted to be included in the EQUIS family and found the experience of being taken through by our Advisor, mock reviews and finally the peer review panel at both our Aberdeen and Qatar campuses a truly enriching improvement process. Our deep thanks and gratitude go to all the individuals for their high-quality input and discourse.

The EQUIS accreditation is good for our staff, students and alumni, enhancing the international reputation of the School and our programmes.  We have already found the EQUIS improvement process helpful in developing our strategic plans, particularly to meet our mission of Powering Change for Better Businesses and Better Lives’, expressed John Skatun, Dean, University of Aberdeen Business School.

During the same Accreditation Board meeting, the following institutions were also granted EQUIS re-accreditation:

• CENTRUM Católica Graduate Business School, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru
• College of Business, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics (SUFE), China
• ESSEC Business School, France
• Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden
• Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin at the University of Dublin, Ireland

EQUIS – EFMD Quality Improvement System

 EQUIS is a rigorous tool for business schools to assess, accredit and improve their quality in ten key areas, benchmarking them against international standards in terms of governance, programmes, students, faculty, research, and foremost, internationalisation, ethics, responsibility and sustainability, as well as corporate engagement.

It offers a quality assessment and a quality improvement process, very much rooted in the mission of EFMD. True quality is about striving to do better, even when you are already excellent, and this focus on continuous improvement is thus at the heart of the EQUIS mission.

EQUIS attaches particular importance to the creation of effective learning environments which foster students’ managerial and entrepreneurial skills alongside their personal development and sense of global responsibility.

There are currently 220 EQUIS-accredited schools across 45 countries globally.

Explore further insights regarding EQUIS by delving into the Frequently Asked Questions.

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives about EQUIS, visit the conversation here.