Durham University Business School, one of the UK’s longest established business schools, has been awarded a five-year extension to its accreditation from EQUIS, the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.
A five-year re-accreditation
The School also successfully achieved a five-year re-accreditation in 2017. There are fewer than 21 UK schools with the so called ‘gold standard’ of five years’ accreditation status and under 55 in the rest of Europe.
The recent announcement follows a comprehensive assessment by EQUIS which took place in March 2022. EQUIS accreditation focuses on evaluating the balance between academic quality and professional relevance, with particular importance placed on the development of students’ managerial and entrepreneurial skills and the opportunities and connections to the business world.
The Peer Review Team recognised that Durham University Business School has upheld the high standards that were acknowledged by EQUIS in 2017, and identified a number of areas where the School’s performance has exceeded the required standards. These include:
- The embedding of Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability across its programme portfolio – an objective which sits close to the heart of the School’s ethos,
- The provision of student support and counselling services,
- The quality and internationalisation of faculty members,
- The impact of research, with international research leadership also clearly evident
The Peer Review Team also commended the School’s staff and students for their engagement with the wider community through a wide variety of outreach activities and public service initiatives.
Comments from the School and University
““The Business School’s five-year EQUIS re-accreditation is testimony to our position as a leading international business school, with excellence across our key strategic areas of research, education and student experience.”
Professor Kieran Fernandes, Interim Executive Dean of Durham University Business School.
“This is a wonderful achievement and a credit to all our colleagues in the Business School who have played their part in securing this five-year re-accreditation.
“This comes at an exciting time for Durham where we are looking to enhance our strengths as a leading University renowned for the excellence and impact of its research, the quality of its education and student support, and the richness of its student experience.”
Professor Karen O’Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden at Durham University.
Durham University Business School has a substantial track record in providing internationally recognised degree programmes and MBAs. It has been ranked in the European Top 50 by the Financial Times as well as being placed 7th in the world by the Financial Times Online MBA Rankings 2022. In addition, the School is also ranked 2nd in the UK and 37th in the world in The Economist Which MBA Ranking 2022.
Within the three departments of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Management and Marketing, our research spans a broad range of timely and important topics, such as accountability, economic and sustainable development, cyber security, energy and environmental economics, international business, entrepreneurship, consumer research and supply chains, among others. Our outstanding research was demonstrated in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), a UK-wide assessment of university research.
