Babson College Earns EQUIS Reaccreditation

Babson College has received a full, five-year EQUIS reaccreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).

According to EFMD, Babson was noted for the quality of the institution as demonstrated by the College’s “high-touch” learning environment for students, management of corporate relations, globally recognized research strength in entrepreneurship, and its integration of ethics, responsibility, and sustainability into the institutional DNA. The EFMD board voted unanimously to reaccredit Babson. Currently, only three U.S. schools are EQUIS-accredited. Babson offers among other pogrammes, a one-year MBA and a two-year MBA.

“Receiving full, five-year accreditation, the highest level awarded by this leading global accreditation system, clearly demonstrates Babson’s academic excellence and international leadership,” said Babson President Kerry Healey. “EQUIS’ continued recognition of the global business management education Babson provides is an honor for which our entire community can be proud.”

EQUIS is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration. The fundamental objective of EQUIS, linked to the mission of EFMD, is to raise the standard of management education worldwide. EQUIS assesses institutions as a whole. It assesses not just degree programs but all the activities and sub-units of the institution, including research, e-learning units, executive education provision and community outreach. Institutions must be primarily devoted to management education. EQUIS is not primarily focused on the MBA or any other specific program. Its scope covers all programs offered by an institution from the first degree up to the Ph.D.

EQUIS looks for a balance between high academic quality and the professional relevance provided by close interaction with the corporate world. A strong interface with the world of business is, therefore, as much a requirement as a strong research potential. EQUIS attaches particular importance to the creation of an effective learning environment that favors the development of students’ managerial and entrepreneurial skills, and fosters their sense of global responsibility. It also looks for innovation in all respects, including program design and pedagogy.

Institutions accredited by EQUIS must demonstrate not only high general quality in all dimensions of their activities, but also a high degree of internationalization. With companies recruiting worldwide, with students choosing to get their education outside their home countries, and with schools building alliances across borders and continents, there is a rapidly growing need for them to be able to identify those institutions in other countries that deliver high quality education in international management.

About EFMD

EFMD is an international membership organization, based in Brussels, Belgium. With more than 820 member organizations from academia, business, public service, and consultancy in 81 countries, EMFD provides a unique forum for information, research, networking and debate on innovation and best practice in management development. EMFD is recognized globally as an accreditation body of quality in management education, with established accreditation services for business schools and business school programs, corporate universities, and technology-enhanced learning programs.