TRIPLE CROWN EXCLUSIVITY

FACULTY EXCHANGE FOR COLLEGES, BETTER CAREER CHOICES FOR STUDENTS. ACCREDITATION IS A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH.

- GINA KRISHNAN

THE INDIAN SCHOOL of Business (ISB) recently received its re-accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), becoming one of the few B-schools globally to retain the 'triple crown' of accreditations — from AMBA, EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS), and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The re-accreditation will give ISB students an opportunity to join AMBA's global member community of students and alumni for networking, career development, and a host of other benefits.

Three of India's premier business schools — Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C), ISB Hyderabad and IIM Indore — wear the triple crown of accreditation from the three international bodies, putting them among the select 1% (about 110 in 2021) business schools globally to do so.

The three bodies — AMBA, AACSB and EQUIS — assess business schools according to different scope and criteria. Their accreditation programmes, while looking at different parameters, emphasise on systems and processes and a high level of academically qualified research.

AMBA accreditation certifies the overall quality of the MBA (Masters in Business Administration) programme, including faculty and facilities. The programme is certified as an MBA only if students have three years of work experience; otherwise it's called MBM (Masters in Business Management).

The purpose of AACSB accreditation, on the other hand, is to encourage B-schools to hold themselves accountable to improve business practices through a commitment to strategic management, learner success, thought leadership, and societal impact. AACSB enhances accreditation standards and interpretive guidance annually.