The world needs leaders committed to building a better world, it needs managers capable of transforming their organizations into spaces of continuous and permanent learning that impacts the quality of life of all their collaborators, and Triple Crown business schools have in their hands all the necessary tools to train that new leader.
Without a doubt, the fact that a business school has obtained triple accreditation, made up of AACSB International, EQUIS of the EFMD European Foundation for Management Development and AMBA Association of MBAs, is a demonstration of quality and excellence in management education. The “Triple Crown” is a hallmark that shows the business school’s commitment to providing programs in line with what the global corporate world demands.
Being a “Triple Crown” business school means having teachers with a very high academic background, with extensive experience in what they are teaching and, above all, they are teachers who have developed the ability to transmit all that knowledge to their students.
A testimony is worth more than any reflection that one can share, therefore, here we present the testimony of some “Triple Crown” business schools, who tell us how it has impacted their institution, their programs and their students, triple accreditation.
The recognition of three international accreditation associations places FGV among the best in the world
Luiz Brito, Dean Escola de Administración de Empresas de Sao Paulo, FGV Fundaci´´on Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The São Paulo School of Business Administration of the Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV EAESP) is the first educational institution in Brazil that has a “triple crown”, a nomenclature given to business schools that have their MBA courses awarded and separated by three international MBA accreditation associations – The Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Business Schools (ACCSB International), the European Foundation for Management Development and EFMD Quality Improvement System (EFMD/EQUIS) and the Association of MBAs ( AMBA).
Accreditation is granted when the business school is qualified as a whole, meeting standards of excellence in teaching method, curriculum, student participation and teacher training, among other items. In practice, the “triple crown” certifies that the FGV EAESP MBA meets international requirements and is recognized worldwide.
According to data, of 16,545 business schools in the world, only 0.8% have the “triple crown”, the majority in European countries (68.2%), followed by Latin America: Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Venezuela. – and Oceania. The United States does not have a relevant participation in the MBA survey, since institutions in that country offer courses for graduates with little or no professional experience, which does not happen in other regions, where a minimum of three years of experience is required. in the business market.
“The importance of being triple accredited will continue to grow as we deepen relationships with our partners”
Prof. Yuk-Shing CHENG, Interim Dean, HKBU School of Business, Hong Kong, China
HKBU School of Business has been triple accredited since 2013, sending a message to our stakeholders about our status as an internationally recognised business school. This distinction elevates our global competitiveness and reinforces our commitment to excellence.
Accreditations are instrumental for business schools in choosing partners for student exchange, overseas internships, and joint initiatives. Being triple-accredited holds particular value, and many of our partners share this distinction. The importance of being triple accredited will continue to grow as we deepen relationships with our partners.
Triple accreditation enhances graduates’ job prospects across various sectors, as employers tend to favour candidates graduated from internationally accredited business schools.
Accreditations also benefit student recruitment. Our research shows that international students consider accreditations, along with a school’s overall reputation, when choosing an educational institution.
Last but not least, the three accreditations enable us to benchmark against our peers across various dimensions, such as faculty recruitment and development, programme offerings, research quality, internationalisation efforts, and engagement with the corporate sector. We believe that these accreditations contribute to the quality of our work.
«These recognitions are aligned with our purpose of educating, inspiring, and supporting individuals and organizations in developing positive businesses»
Sandro Sánchez, Chief Positive Impact Officer MBA Programmes Tenured Professor, CENTRUM PUCP, Peru
As postgraduate education evolves to meet new and larger challenges, business schools and accreditation bodies have also progressed to achieve more impactful practices in positive business management education. With the growing need for inclusiveness and access to advanced education, the accreditations we hold at CENTRUM PUCP Business School are pivotal. They help us discover innovative ways to provide high-quality education to those who cannot afford it, while maintaining the highest standards in education and research provided to all of our students.
To achieve this, CENTRUM PUCP has updated its mission to “We offer an international positive business education and research for impacting people, planet, and prosperity.” This commitment is materialized by our faculty and staff, supported by continuous information exchange with our external stakeholders.
Accreditation standards, guidelines, recommendations, and feedback are powerful tools not only for achieving and demonstrating world-class education but also for keeping CENTRUM PUCP Business School on the right path to fulfill our objectives. These accreditations deploy strategies and actions to provide a global experience and perspective, offering instruments to measure CENTRUM PUCP’s impact within our ecosystem.
CENTRUM PUCP Business School is the first and only business school in Peru, one of ten in Latin America/Caribbean, and one of ~120 worldwide to hold the prestigious Triple Crown accreditation. Since 2020, we are also accredited by the Business Graduate Association (BGA). These recognitions are aligned with our purpose of educating, inspiring, and supporting individuals and organizations in developing positive businesses that foster inclusion, create lasting impact, and drive innovability for the prosperity of society.
“Is a testament to the global quality of the teaching”
Sherif Kamel, dean of the School of Business, American University in Cairo, Cairo
“The triple-crown ranking — the most sought-after status for any business school around the world — is a testament to the global quality of the teaching and research taking place at the school,” said President Lisa Anderson. “It is a reflection of the caliber of the faculty, students and alumni. We are especially proud of this achievement, which places AUC’s business school in the top 115 globally and on par with the finest in the world.”
Sherif Kamel, dean of the School of Business, attributed this recognition to the school’s continuous enhancement efforts over the past years. «The AUC School of Business has been working relentlessly and passionately over the last five years with its different stakeholders to create a culture of change and continuous improvement, and to transform assessment and accreditation from being a destination to being the ongoing driver for bettering our program and service offerings to cater to the needs of the society.»
EQUIS is an accreditation system for management and business schools, administered by the European Foundation for Management Development. A high level of academic quality, professional relevance, innovation and internationalization is required to achieve EQUIS accreditation. EQUIS accredits programs that focus on the development of managerial and entrepreneurial skills. «It is invaluably inspiring to see the school, over such a short time despite the developments taking place in Egypt, become EQUIS-accredited, consequently triple-crowned, and making it in a better position to serve its community,» said Kamel. «Having the school EQUIS-accredited as the first in Egypt and triple crown as the first in the region and one of only around 70 business schools in the world is a major accomplishment and a testament of the quality of its programs, faculty and staff.»
Affirming the school’s global reach and reputation with its newly acquired triple-crown accreditation, Kamel said, «This is another milestone reached in the school’s long-term objective to be among the top small business schools in the world .» Echoing the same sentiment, Seghir noted, “The leading role that the AUC School of Business has been playing in the Middle East and North Africa region for seven decades has been recognized by the most prestigious accreditation bodies — AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS. Less than 1 percent of business schools worldwide are triple-crowned, and we are proud to be part of this notable group.»
“Being triple crowned also means that we need to remain relevant in a highly competitive environment”
Ximena Rueda Fajardo, Dean of Universidad de los Andes School of Management
Since 2010 Universidad de los Andes School of Management became Triple Accredited when it successfully completed the first AACSB accreditation, adding to the EQUIS and AMBA accreditations obtained in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
We stand alone as the only triple-accredited school in Colombia, a distinction but also a responsibility that we take deeply seriously.
What does it mean for Uniandes’ School of Management to be triple accredited?
I would say the accreditation has helped us commit to our purpose, sharpen our focus, and stimulated us to reach higher.
Leadership for life is the force that guides our actions. We educate responsible leaders who defend life in all forms: young men and women who understand the role of businesses in protecting nature and the most vulnerable members of society, who work tirelessly to improve the lives of customers and employees, and who believe that they have the capabilities and the responsibility to create a better world.
Faculty, staff, students, and alumni have been able to gather around this purpose. The accreditation processes and the dialogues we have held over the years with accreditation bodies and peer-review teams, have been instrumental in helping us understand that our responsibility is to walk along our students throughout their lives: since the moment they reach our campus as recent high-school graduates to the time they leave office, production floors, corporate rooms and look back on their legacy.
Being triple crowned also means that we need to remain relevant in a highly competitive environment. We are held accountable to ourselves and our stakeholders in our commitment to our purpose, and in maintaining the high standards of quality education we are known for. Every action or project we undertake is rigorously assessed against our declared goals and needs to make explicit its contribution to living up to that promise. In the face of multiple challenges and competing strategies, being part of a systematic approach to decision making has helped us remain focused on what matters, what creates value for our stakeholders and what protects our reputation.
Lastly, having the triple crown has stimulated us to reach higher by enhancing our partnerships with like-minded institutions who shared our values and our standards. This has created a highly stimulating environment where, despite being a small, private school from a middle-income country, we play an important role in management education in the global sphere and are recognized by our partners as such. Our commitment also extends to other Colombian institutions where our graduates are now leading key schools around the country that are following our path. Together, we are lifting the quality of Colombian business schools, beyond the confines of our institution.
“This triple accreditation confirms that our Business School remains among the best in the world»
Malcolm Press CBE, Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School has retained its triple accreditation status.
Following recent reaccreditation processes, the Business School continues to be recognised for its high standards, quality and reputation by the three major, influential accreditation bodies:
EQUIS, based in the EU. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), based in the US; Association of MBAs (AMBA), based in the UK. With rigorous assessment criteria, the highly prized triple accreditation sets the international benchmark of excellence and puts the Business School into a select group globally.
First awarded in 2019, the EQUIS accreditation benchmarks the Business School against international standards for education, research ethics, responsibility and sustainability and engagement with practice.
Re-accreditation requires schools to meet exceptional standards in terms of strategy, design and delivery of programmes, ability to affect positive outcomes for graduates, produce high-quality research and have impactful connections with the real-world with a global outlook.
Just 209 schools worldwide currently hold the prestigious EQUIS award.
The Business School has held AACSB accreditation since 2016 and AMBA accreditation since 1994.
Commenting on the achievement, Professor Dominic Medway, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Business and Law, said: «Holding triple accreditation status from UK, European and US awarding bodies is a tremendous achievement and recognises the commitment we have to providing sector-leading research and an excellent education to transform our students’ lives. We are immensely proud that our Business School is among the best in the world with professional development and employability at the heart of our ethos and priorities.”
Professor Malcolm Press CBE, Vice-Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, added: “This triple accreditation confirms that our Business School remains among the best in the world. It recognises our success in developing regional, national and international partnerships, which generate outstanding opportunities for our students and staff. Manchester Metropolitan is dedicated to delivering internationally-recognised, high-quality courses and research that meet the needs of industry; driving growth, productivity and sustainability.”
Triple Accredited MBAs : Are AMBA, AACSB and Equis Accreditations Important When Choosing an MBA?
Emmanuel Metais, Dean EDHEC Business School, France
You might have heard or seen the term ‘triple accreditation’ or the ‘triple-crown’ which means a school has received accreditation from the Association of MBA’s (AMBA), Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) and EQUIS. Whilst there are other regional or more specific accreditations, these are the 3 most respected and well-known, hence the term ‘triple crown’. But what does each accreditation mean? Plus, is a triple-accreditation MBA inherently better?
The EMBA Triple Crown : what are AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS ?
The AMBA accreditation is the only accreditation out of the 3 which focuses on MBA programmes specifically. It has a very rigorous assessment criteria and only 3% of business schools world-wide have AMBA accreditation. If you are looking to do an MBA, checking that it has AMBA accreditation is recommended because it means the programme has been assessed in detail in terms of quality and standards of faculty, curriculum and student experience. Accreditation is awarded for a maximum of 5 years and then the programme is re-assessed..
AACSB and Equis are accreditations for business schools as a whole versus a specific programme. And again, the process for assessment and accreditation is very thorough. AACSB is a US-based organisation which reviews the business school’s mission, faculty qualifications, and curricula. The initial accreditation process can take between 3 and 5 years and includes in-depth self-evaluations and reviews by peers and committees.
Accreditation ensures that students are learning material most relevant to their field of study, preparing them to be effective leaders upon graduation. Like the AMBA, AACSB accreditation is reviewed every 5 years – EDHEC was re-accredited in 2021 and counts amongst the 5% of business schools world-wide to be accredited.
The European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)established the Quality Improvement System known as EQUIS to act as a quality benchmark for business schools. Unlike AMBA or AACSB it places more focus on diversity and internationalisation. Re-accreditation can take place up to 5 years after initial accreditation – EDHEC was recently re-accredited by EQUIS for the maximum 5-year period in October 2020.
The triple crown is the highest international recognition for a business school
Stéphan Bourcieu, Burgundy School of Business, France
The School of Wine’s MBA Wine & Spirits Business receives the AMBA accreditation: BSB is now one of the few select triple accredited business schools in the world
BSB has obtained the prestigious triple crown, subsequently joining a very selective club of business schools with three internationally renowned accreditations, AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. Fewer than 1% of business schools in the world, 120 institutions out of 15,000 have this privilege.
After AACSB in 2014 (with a 5-year reaccreditation in 2019), followed by EQUIS in 2016 (with a 3-year reaccreditation in 2022), BSB is now AMBA accredited. This accreditation is awarded by the British AMBA (Association of MBAs) organisation, which meticulously assesses programmes based on comprehensive and very demanding international standards.
The triple crown is the highest international recognition for a business school. It is a distinction that showcases: academic excellence, quality international partners, the strength corporate network and the broad reach of research.
The world reference of wine business MBAs
BSB’s MBA Wine & Spirits Business was audited within in the framework of the accreditation. The flagship School of Wine & Spirits Business programme was launched in 2018 and is the international leader in its field of expertise. It is designed for high-potential professionals who increasingly come from the four corners of the world to benefit from our benchmark training: 25 participants of 15 nationalities in 2023.
‘’This triple crown is a wonderful distinction for BSB and for the School of Wine’’, delights BSB’s Dean Stéphan Bourcieu. “It bolsters the dynamics of our development and is the perfect launch to our UP 2027 strategic plan. Being AMBA accredited was one of its main priorities in terms of the accreditation’s marker of excellence at an international scale. This acknowledgement has reinforced our worldwide leadership in the wine and spirits sector, and in particular our MBA Wine & Spirits Business.”
“It’s also the opportunity to thank all our teams for their tireless efforts over the past few years, and more broadly it’s a fantastic bonus for the entire BSB community and its remarkable commitment: students, graduates, and partners alike. Hats off to everyone!” Stéphan Bourcieu concludes.
