This October, Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) has been granted EQUIS accreditation for five years. Though a young institution, PHBS has set its sights on global recognition and is now among only a selective few of the best business schools worldwide to hold the “Triple Crown” —EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, granted by the world’s three most prominent and influential business school accreditation organizations:
AACSB - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (the United States)
AMBA - The Association of MBAs (the United Kingdom)
EQUIS- EFMD Quality Improvement System (Belgium)
Established in 1997, EQUIS serves as a rigorous benchmark for business schools to assess, accredit, and improve their quality in governance, programs, students, faculty, research, internationalization, ethics, responsibility, sustainability, and corporate engagement. Its rigorous peer-review process signals the school’s overall quality, viability, and self-improvement commitment to students, employers, and academic partners worldwide.
The EQUIS peer review team conducted a thorough online evaluation in late June. The group comprises current and former deans of internationally renowned business schools and a corporate representative with extensive practical experience.
During the peer review, the dean and representatives of PHBS introduced the school’s development and breakthroughs in recent years. They shared the strategic roadmap for the school’s future management and development. Representatives of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and strategic partners from the industry also participated in the peer review interviews.
The school’s rapid development and extensive achievements impressed the peer review team. Among many quality indicators, the team recognized the school’s high-quality students and faculty, a strong commitment to internationalization, well-designed programs, strict admission and selection for students, close connections with practice, and, particularly, excellent career placement. According to the school’s annual employment report, PHBS graduates stood out in this year’s fiercely competitive job market: the initial employment rate of its graduates from MA and MBA programs reached 97.7%, with a majority of graduates securing positions in leading finance and consulting companies.
Noting the school’s internationalization actions, the team also spoke highly of four areas: faculty recruitment, student cultivation, international collaboration, and the development of the UK campus, the first foreign campus opened by a Chinese business school in a Western country. In addition, driven by alumni and corporate connections, PHBS has strong ties with the corporate world and provides students with practical cases that relate management theories to students’ work experience. Therefore, the peer review team pointed out the school has strengths in its links in China, especially in the Greater Bay Area, including corporate, policy, and professional connections, all of which can contribute to the school’s development in Shenzhen and the UK.
University accreditation is an important quality indicator for prospective students and employers. There are 215 EQUIS-accredited schools across over 40 countries globally, and only around 1% of business schools worldwide are triple-accredited. Holding multiple accreditations speaks volumes about our school’s standards and practices. PHBS will continue empowering students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed globally by providing exceptional faculty, impactful research, and the highest standards.
By Annie JIn
Cr. Dean's Office and PR & Media Office
