Know International MBA Accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE
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Know International MBA Accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE

#MBA
Prabha DhavalaUpdated on 20 Feb 2023, 11:42 AM IST

International MBA Accreditations like AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE are much touted in the media when it comes to BSchools and management education. However, what are these international accreditations namely AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACB and what do they add to any institute that offers management courses? This is one question that comes to mind when it comes to checking business schools and selecting one. In this article we check out the various accreditations like AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACB and their importance.

Know International MBA Accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE
Know International MBA Accreditations: AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE

Before starting to understand these accreditations, it's imperative to understand what accreditation actually means, the role it plays in ascertaining the quality of education at any institute and its importance for any MBA aspirant.

MBA Accreditation - Meaning, Types

The dictionary meaning of accreditation holds true in this case. Accreditation means the action or process of officially recognizing something as being qualified to perform a particular activity. In the case of MBA accreditation, this translates to the course and by extension the institute being rated as a quality one with value in the industry.

What are the types of MBA accreditation?

MBA aspirants must look for both national and international accreditations. This is because national accreditations take the domestic factors into consideration while international MBA accreditations allow for global recognition.

Types of International MBA Accreditation

Some of the popular MBA accreditations cited by business schools across the globe are AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, ACBSP, IACBE. Each accreditation is looked at in detail in the section below.

  • AACSB: A global nonprofit association located in the USA, Netherlands and Singapore, AACSB accreditation indicates a business school’s commitment to four major factors - strategic management, learner success, thought leadership, and societal impact. To achieve AACSB accreditation for MBA, business schools undergo a rigorous process. Performance in critical areas, such as teaching, research, curricula development, and student learning is measured. More than 950 plus schools across the world have been accredited.
    The main advantage with choosing an institute with AACSB accreditation is that it is recognized worldwide by employers and universities. Therefore studying in an AACSB accredited institute would allow more access to top recruiters, vie for competitive salaries. Such institutes also attract excellent faculty hence the quality of education provided would be the best.
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BSchools in India with AACSB Accreditation


  • AMBA: Another recognised international MBA accreditation is from the Association of MBAs (AMBA). More than 260 business schools across 75 countries are part of the accredited institute list of AMBA for their MBA, DBA and Master’s Degree programmes. Programmes need to reflect the prescribed standards in teaching, learning and curriculum design, career development and employability, student, alumni and employer interaction to achieve accreditation from AMBA.
    A major advantage of the AMBA accreditation is that business schools are recognised at the international level.
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Institute having AMBA Accreditation

Goa Institute of Management

IIM Rohtak

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai (and Gurgaon)

Indian School of Business

IMI New Delhi (and Bhubaneswar)

MDI Management Development Institute

Indian Institute of Management Calcutta

NMIMS School of Business Management

Indian Institute of Management Indore

S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research

Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode

T. A. Pai Management Institute

Indian Institute of Management Lucknow

XLRI Xavier School of Management

Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli

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  • EQUIS: This is a comprehensive review system developed by the EQUIS Accreditation Board. The review process looks at a conceptual framework of quality criteria. An international committee evaluates each component of the framework as per the standards set up in place. EQUIS is internationally acknowledged and is often a prerequisite for entry to rankings. The assessment standards are set up such that schools can improvise on their strategies for curriculum development and design, research. EQUIS accreditation opens the doors to a vibrant community where mutual learning is encouraged amongst different systems of higher education.
    Factors that form part of EQUIS accreditation include MBA programmes, students and faculty, R&D pursued by a business school, Executive Education provided, resources and administration, Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability, Internationalisation and connections.
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Institutes having EQUIS Accreditation:

IIM Ahmedabad

IIM Bangalore

IIM Calcutta

IIM Indore

Indian School of Business

IIM Kozhikode


  • ACBSP: One of the popular international MBA accreditation is by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Also known as ACBSP the accreditation process is modelled on the Baldrige model. The MBA accreditation process focuses on recognizing excellence in teaching, student learning outcome determination with a continuous improvement model. The learning approach with a focus on student-centered teaching is measured to ensure that students gain the right sets of skills.

Institutes having ACBSP Accreditation


  • IACBE: Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), IACBE is an accrediting organization that accredits business, accounting, and business-related degree programs (associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels) in institutions of higher education across the globe. Some significant benefits of IACBE accreditation include external quality assurance, sharing of best practices and public accountability.

Importance of MBA accreditation

While most students don't bother with understanding accreditation and its uses, it is imperative to always pick an institution that has accreditation. International MBA accreditation is a vital factor that should always be considered by students while choosing an institute. The reason being that accredited institutes have to maintain quality in various aspects like the curriculum, practices, employ good faculty, inculcate research to name a few. Moreover, international MBA accreditation also allows for a global presence/ recognition. All these combine to give a wholesome institute that makes the MBA worthwhile.

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Questions related to MBA

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to MBA ?

Hello,

Both Bengal Institute of Business Studies (BIBS) and United World School of Business (UWSB) have strong placement records in Kolkata. with specific data suggesting BIBS has a slightly higher potential higher salary package. While the UWSB provides a higher placement rate.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Hello

With an NMAT score of 205, you have decent chances in good mid-tier MBA colleges.
You may get calls from NMIMS Hyderabad or Indore, but the Mumbai core is usually slightly higher.
Colleges like SDA Bocconi Asia Centre, BML Munjal, and IBS Hyderabad are realistic options.
Some reputed private B-schools may also consider you if sectional cutoffs are clear. Overall, 205 is a fair score that can lead to a solid MBA college with good planning.

You can refer to the link I am attaching for more details: CLICK HERE

CAT does not restrict eligibility based on stream. Candidates from commerce, arts, science, engineering or any other background can appear for CAT and apply to MBA programmes offered by IIMs and other top B-schools.

The basic eligibility criteria for CAT are:
You must hold a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university with at least 50 percent marks (45 percent for SC, ST and PwD categories). Final-year graduation students are also eligible to apply.

Being a commerce graduate can actually be an advantage in areas such as accounting, finance, economics and business studies, especially during MBA coursework in finance, marketing and operations.

After qualifying CAT, admission depends on multiple factors including CAT percentile, academic background, work experience (if any), performance in GD, WAT and personal interview rounds. Many IIMs and B-schools follow a diverse academic background policy, which means non-engineering candidates, including commerce graduates, often receive additional weightage.

Apart from IIMs, several reputed institutes such as FMS Delhi, SPJIMR Mumbai, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, and many state and private universities also accept CAT scores for MBA admissions.

So, as a commerce graduate, you are fully eligible to appear for CAT and pursue an MBA, provided you meet the minimum academic requirements and perform well in the selection process.

If you want, I can also help you with realistic CAT percentile targets based on your academic profile or suggest suitable MBA colleges.


Hello aspirant,

First-year MBA fees in India vary greatly, ranging from less than rupees one lakh for government/distance programs to rupees ten to twenty-five lakhs or more for elite private B-schools (such as ISB, IIMs, and XLRI). The majority of elite private institutions charge between rupees eight and twenty-five lakh for the entire two-year program, indicating that first-year expenses are substantial.

For more information, you can visit our site through following link:

https://bschool.careers360.com/articles/mba-fee-know-how-much-your-mba-will-cost-in-top-b-schools

Thank you

Hello,

Transferring mid-stream from an online MBA to an offline MBA is generally very difficult and rare, requiring a fresh application and usually withdrawal from your current program. You can apply for a new offline MBA after completing your online MBA or even while pursuing it (with caution), provided your current university is recognized.

I hope it will clear your query!!