EDHEC re-accredited by EQUIS for the maximum five-year period
Durable independent business model, programmes of excellence and coherent international strategy…three major strengths serving students
Written on 16 Oct 2020.
EDHEC Business School is pleased to announce the renewal of its EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System) accreditation, once again for the maximum period of five years, thus extending its unbroken recognition to over 20 years. It comes in the wake of last year’s third consecutive AACSB re-accreditation, which cemented EDHEC’s status as one of the rare business schools around the world (less than 1%) to be triple-accredited by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, a distinction it has held since 2004.
To obtain the EQUIS label from the EFMD (European Foundation for Management Development), candidate schools need to demonstrate a coherent strategy, high-quality training programmes, excellence in the research field and a high degree of internationalisation.
A premium for excellence
The EQUIS accreditation recognises the trajectory of excellence pursued by EDHEC in all its activities. The report’s authors underline firstly the strength and coherency of the School’s business model, underpinned by a clear strategic vision. The School’s financial independence and the new growth drivers it has successfully established in the business world – Scientific Beta, EDHEC Infra – enable it to invest in innovative academic and entrepreneurial projects: acceleration of EDHEC Online and the forthcoming creations of a Sustainable Finance research centre and a positive-impact investment fund, EDHEC Ventures for Future Generations.
The accreditation teams also singled out the highly demanding and selective nature of the School’s Master in Management and BBA programmes. 80% of French students admitted to the Master in Management programme originated from preparatory classes, 70% of candidates recruited to the BBA obtained their baccalaureate with “Good” or “Very Good” mentions.They additionally underlined the attention paid to the excellence of EDHEC’s teaching and the focus on adapting it to economic and societal issues.
The EQUIS label particularly acknowledges the School’s research ambitions and the high-quality work produced by its researchers, geared to serving students and the business world: “EDHEC excels at creating synergies between its research and its programmes”, a characteristic that reflects “the School’s solidly business-oriented DNA”.
Lastly, the EQUIS accreditation rewards EDHEC’s efforts to promote equal opportunities through the provision of financial support to students the most in need (15% of tuition fees are now used to fund bursaries or interest-free loans), and underscores the School’s desire to strengthen its social diversity policy via its Impact Future Generations 2025 strategic plan.
International ambition serving a unique educational experience
Looking further out, the award of the EQUIS label rewards the School’s strategy of continuous international development, based on the clear ambition of offering future graduates a unique immersive experience in renowned international universities.
This approach – an original one among business schools – is hailed by EQUIS, with the organisation approving the School’s proactive policy with regard to partnerships and exchanges, as witnessed by the close to 250 agreements in force on the five continents: “EDHEC has attained an exceptional level of internationalisation by sealing partnership agreements with first-class academic institutions in the USA and Asia”.
The European label also distinguishes the quality and diversity of the international tracks offered to students (GETT track within the Master in Management programme, Global BBA), as well as the pronounced multi-culturalism of the School’s different campuses: international students account for 35% of the student roster and represent 90 different nationalities, 50% of the teaching faculty have international profiles.
“The renewal of our EQUIS accreditation for five years validates our business model and lends weight to the School’s strategic choices. Our engagement in favour of academic and pedagogical excellence, our international development geared to offering students a unique experience and the innovative projects enshrined in our 2025 strategic plan are all assets recognised by the accreditation teams. They allow us to offer our future graduates an ever-more qualitative, innovative learning experience constantly adapted to a fast-changing economic environment”
underlines Emmanuel Métais, Dean of EDHEC Business School
About EDHEC
Operating from campuses in Lille, Nice, Paris, London and Singapore, EDHEC is one of the world’s top 15 business schools. Fully international and directly connected to the business world, EDHEC commands a strong reputation for research excellence and the ability to train entrepreneurs and managers capable of breaking new ground. EDHEC functions as a genuine laboratory of ideas and produces innovative solutions valued by businesses. The School’s teaching is inspired by its research work and a focus on “learning by doing”, all with the aim of equipping people with the skills to succeed in business.
