Higher education, particularly in business schools, is marked by accreditations, labels and rankings that guarantee program quality and international recognition. Recognized by the teaching world and recruiters alike, these distinctions are all important when it comes to young students' choice of direction. Here's a summary of the most important things you need to know:
International accreditations
The Triple Crown
- EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System): European accreditation awarded to the school as a whole. Criteria: internationalization, links with the business world, program quality, faculty, etc.
- AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business): American accreditation evaluating the goals and programs of business schools. Criteria: program quality, school strategy, societal impact, ethics, percentage of PhD professors.
- AMBA (Association of MBAs): British accreditation awarded to specific programs (MBA, DBA, MBM). Criteria: employability of graduates, strategic objectives, alliances, mission statement, institutional context.
EFMD Accredited
- Relates to specific programs (such as the Programme Grande École in France) and not to the school as a whole. Criteria similar to EQUIS but applied at program level.
International rankings
Financial Times (FT) ranking
- Ranks schools as a whole and specific programs (MBA, Master in Finance, Master in Management). Criteria: graduate salaries, international mobility, international experience. Highly reputed, important and recognized worldwide.
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds)
- Ranks the best universities and programs (Master in Management). Criteria: employability of graduates, return on investment, career opportunities, faculty diversity.
National rankings
Figaro's ranking of the best post-bac business schools
- Ranking of the best post-bac and post-pépa business schools. Criteria: international influence, quality of research, professional insertion, number of professors.
SIGEM ranking of the best post-prepa business schools
- Ranking of post-prepa business schools based on students' choices.
- Criteria: student preferences, withdrawals on the Sigem platform.
L'Etudiant business school rankings
- Ranking of leading business schools. Criteria: quality of training, integration into the job market, graduate salaries.
Eduniversal rankings of the best Masters, MS, MBA and Licences, Bachelors and Grandes Ecoles.
- Ranking of the best Masters, MS, MBA and Licences, Bachelors and Grandes Écoles. Criteria: reputation of the course, salary on graduation, student satisfaction.
Important labels and degrees recognized in France
Grade de licence, state recognition
- Level bac +3, 180 ECTS credits. Awarded to state-recognized bachelor's degrees. Facilitates international recognition and mobility. The Licence (or Master) degree is reserved for schools. The Diplôme National de Licence is awarded by a public higher education institution (university) and confers the grade de licence.
Grade de master, state recognition
- Level bac +5, 120 ECTS credits. Awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education and validated by the CEFDG. Criteria: content and quality of teaching, admission process, teaching methods, professional integration.
Conclusion
Accreditations, labels and rankings play a crucial role in recognizing the quality of business schools and their programs.
They enable students to make informed choices and to ensure that their studies are of the highest quality.