About BI

Accreditation and Ranking

BI Norwegian Business School is the first Norwegian business school that has received the three most prestigious international accreditations.

Top 50 European Business School
Financial Times rankings 2024

#50 Finance
QS programme rankings
#49 Business Analytics
QS programme rankings

#38 MSc in Business
QS programme rankings
#29 Strategic Marketing Management
QS programme rankings

Accreditations

Triple Crown

Schools that achieve all three accreditations, the European EQUIS (European Quality Improvement Systems), the American AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and the British AMBA (The Association of MBAs), are called Triple Crown Schools. Less than 1 % of business schools worldwide have achieved triple accreditation. The accreditations are proof of BI's rigorous standards.

Logo Triple Crown Accrediation

What does the Triple Crown accreditation mean to you?

As a student, the triple accreditation means that:

Your degree will be recognised and valued all over the world, thus increasing your employability
Your education holds high academic and ethical standards, and meets the demands of the labour market
Your learning process at BI is supported by a team of high quality teachers
Your opportunity to experience extra-curricular activities is world class

As an employer, the triple accreditation means that:

Graduates with a degree from BI will have the knowledge and skills necessary to meet your needs
The content of BI's academic programmes is constantly updated and developed, in alignment with the expectations of employers globally
Our academic programmes are supported by high quality research and have an international perspective

The Accreditation Bodies

About the accreditation bodies

Our accreditation has been awarded by the world's leading and most respected accreditation bodies. The accreditation bodies are continuously following up to ensure that we fulfil their high requirements at all times.

These bodies have extensively assessed:

our programmes and student environment
the quality of our staff
our international engagement
our ability to continually maintain and improve the high standard necessary

EQUIS

BI has had the European Foundation for Management Development (EQUIS) accreditation since 1999 and was among the first to obtain this status. Accreditation is given for a maximum period of five years and re-accreditation was bestowed upon BI in 2004/05, in 2010, in 2015 and then again in 2021. The requirements that have to be met are raised each time and it is no "walk over" to be reaccredited based on former merits.

24 February 2021: BI receives European seal of quality

AACSB

BI was accepted as a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in 2008 and has since worked actively towards accreditation. The process differs from that of EQUIS. The school is expected to mature to a level worthy of accreditation, before a final evaluation is made by an expert committee. The process is therefore extensive and can take up 7 years. BI was visited by an AACSB expert committee in January 2014, and in May the Board of AACSB awarded BI with accreditation.

AMBA

Association of MBAs (AMBA) is an accreditation of the institution's MBA/DBA programmes (full-time/part-time). BI has recently devoted considerable time to restructuring and developing our executive MBA programmes. BI was awarded AMBA accreditation in November 2013.

EOCCS

The European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) is one of the largest international networks in management development in the world. EFMD plays an important role in shaping an international approach to management education and is an important forum for information, research, networking and debate on innovation and best practice in management training. The network includes more than 800 member institutions in over 80 countries.

Online Course Certification System (EOCCS) is an accreditation that is designed and owned by EFMD. The accreditation was granted for the first time this year and is the only international accreditation of its kind. Based on an extensive application and review process, the accreditation is awarded to operators in the categories of Business Schools and Corporate Institutions / Universities. BI was awarded the accreditation in 2016.

NOKUT

In 2008 the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) granted Specialised University Institution status to BI.

This is the single-most important decision with strategic impact in the recent history of BI and a sign of recognition and final endorsement by its peers of BI as a bona fide-high quality academic institution. NOKUT also has the responsibility to review the institution´s quality assurance system for educational programmes. BI's quality assurance system was accredited for the first time in 2004 and given new approval in 2021.

28 October 2021: NOKUT approves BI’s quality work

Rankings

BI has been ranked as Norway`s best business school for six years running by the Financial Times. The school also achieves solid results in other internationally prestigious rankings, such as Eduniversal Top Business Schools Worldwide and the Economist.

Ranking differs from accreditation in that the institution is measured against the other participant schools based on a set of criteria. These criteria are related to characteristics of the alumni, the programme and the institution.

For the students, the high rankings mean that:

BI has a strong international reputation which ensures that your degree will be valued all over the world
Your education holds a high standard, compared with top business schools worldwide
The professors at BI holds the high level needed to achieve high rankings
Our offer of extra-curricular activities is world class

For the employers, the high rankings mean that:

Candidates with a degree from BI has an internationally recognised education
Our programmes holds a high quality and has an international perspective, compared with top business schools in Europa
The content of our programmes accords with the expectations of employers globally

Financial Times Rankings

Over the past years BI has moved up more than 30 places in Financial Times European Business Schools Ranking. The results of the sub-rankings are summarised in a European Schools Ranking. The most important factors measured are linked to alumni´s wage levels and careers development, and customer satisfaction.

Financial Times has a total of six separate rankings that target specific educational programmes. BI competes in the top three categories listed below, as well as the summary school ranking (FT European Business School ranking).

Executive MBA
Masters in Management
Executive Education
Masters in Finance
Global MBA
Online MBA

QS World University Rankings

QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds. QS World University Rankings have been praised as "the most authoritative" of the various university ranking publications.

Eduniversal Top Business School Worldwide

Eduniversal selects 1000 schools to its annual ranking. The candidates are selected on the basis of reputation among the other participants. In the last years BI have been among the twenty best in Europe, along with schools as London Business School, INSEAD and HEC School of Management.

Accreditation and Ranking

BI in figures

BI in figures

BI in figures

Accreditations

Triple Crown

What does the Triple Crown accreditation mean to you?

The Accreditation Bodies

Rankings

BI Leading in Excellence: Ranked #2 Business School in the Nordics

BI honored for its academic excellence

BI’s joint MBA with Fudan ranked top 30 worldwide

BI’s MSc programmes among the best worldwide on QS Business Master's Rankings 2025