25 November 2004
Otago School Of Business Achieves Prestigious Equis Accreditation
The University of Otago’s School of Business has been awarded the prestigious EQUIS accreditation by the European
Foundation for Management Development (efmd) joining an elite group of international business schools.
EQUIS, the quality assurance body of efmd, has awarded full accreditation to the School of Business based on rigorous
assessment criteria including research and development, students, programme quality, corporate connections, alumni and
internationalisation. In its quest for accreditation the School of Business produced a self-assessment document which
was assessed by a peer review of EQUIS academic and corporate officials. During the peer review the EQUIS delegation met
with faculty and administrative staff from the School of Business and the University of Otago, students, alumni and
corporate partners of the School of Business.
In its final report the EQUIS Peer Review team unanimously recommended the granting full accreditation to the University
of Otago, School of Business stating: “the overall quality of the institution and the guarantee that its strategy and
its policies are sustainable in the long-term fully justify the recommendation of the Peer Review Visit”. It went on to
report the School of Business was “a fine institution which met EQUIS standards and deemed the School’s personal
development for staff and students above standard”.
“With companies recruiting world-wide, students choosing to get their education overseas, and increasing international
education alliances, there is a growing need for students and companies to be able to identify institutions in other
countries that deliver high quality education in international management. EQUIS accreditation provides this stamp of
international quality,” says Professor David Buisson, Dean of the School of Business.
The EQUIS accreditation offers the School of Business a formal international benchmark and ranks it among the best
business schools world-wide. It is awarded with two distinctions – partial accreditation (three years) and full
accreditation (five years). The School of Business has received the full five years accreditation.
There are currently less than 80 business schools globally that have EQUIS accreditation. These include London Business
School (UK), Richard Ivey School of Business (Canada), Rotterdam School of Management (Erasmus University, Holland), HEC
School of Management (France), and ESADE Business School (Spain). The School of Business has existing exchange
programmes with many EQUIS schools.
As a member of the EQUIS accredited cluster, the School of Business will benefit from increased status and recognition
internationally, excellent graduate opportunities, and improved international research opportunities. School of Business
students and alumni will benefit from having an internationally recognised degree from an accredited business school.
“The School of Business’s EQUIS accreditation is part of its move towards the internationalisation of business
education. There is anecdotal evidence from internationally accredited schools of a marked improvement in the quality
level of staff applying for positions at the respective business school and trends are emerging of cohorts of
international students who will only consider accredited schools to attend for their postgraduate study,” says Prof
Buisson.
“Accreditation is a rigorous and demanding process – with no assured outcome. Institutions that earn accreditation
confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review.”
The School of Business is also seeking accreditation from the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business.
About EQUIS accreditation The European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) is the quality assessment system run by the
Brussels-based European Foundation for Management Development (efmd).
The scheme was set up by efmd to raise the standard for management education worldwide and to provide a benchmark for
business schools in Europe. It is now one of the leading international systems of quality assessment, improvement and
accreditation of tertiary business and management institutions.
Accreditation from this organisation effectively stamps business schools with a mark of international ‘peer reviewed’
quality and high standing in the global business school market.
ENDS