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