The process of specialized, programmatic accreditation is voluntary, and it involves rigorous internal and external reviews.
Our ACBSP and IACBE accreditation shows that we have engaged in strategic reflection with our primary stakeholders, conducted institutional research on all our key resources and activities, and submitted in-depth self-study reports.
These self-studies have been reviewed by the accrediting bodies and the school has been visited by external peer evaluators, who have made independent recommendations to the accrediting bodies.
The process does not stop once accreditation is earned. We must also report regularly on our key institutional outcomes and continuous improvement processes.
Our status with the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research means that we are officially registered as a private institute of higher learning in France, our programs are considered higher education programs, and we are authorized to issue diplomas.
This can be key for alumni who need to have their qualifications recognized in other countries. It also means that we have submitted documentation and received approval on our governance, resources, the academic content of our programs and our teaching staff.
Accreditation
All ISM programs are fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a leading specialized accreditation body for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence and student learning outcomes. The association embraces the virtues of teaching excellence and emphasizes to students that it is essential to learn how to learn.
ACBSP accredits business, accounting, and business-related programs at the associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctorate degree levels worldwide. Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2001 and again in 2011, ACBSP was the first to offer specialized business accreditation at all degree levels. The ACBSP is also a European Affiliate of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) established in 2000 to promote European cooperation in the field of quality assurance in higher education.
The International School of Management has received specialized accreditation for its business program(s) through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11960 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas, USA. For a list of accredited programs please view ISM's IACBE member status page.
The IACBE is one of the world's leading outcomes-based accreditation bodies for specialized business accreditation and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education (CHEA) in the United States. Their focus is on student-centered learning.
ISM has received institutional accreditation from the ATHEA Board of Commissioners for the Association for Transnational Higher Education Accreditation (ATHEA). ISM has affirmed its commitment to excellence in higher education.
ATHEA is a not-for-profit, membership-based association that seeks to advance quality in higher education through institutional accreditation based on the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG), which is required for recognition by the European Quality Assurance Register in Higher Education (EQAR).
Read more on ATHEA's website: www.athea.org
Recognition
US State Authority to Confer Diplomas
ISM is authorized by the Delaware Department of Education to confer academic and honorary degrees in the U.S. See the list of verified institutions on the department of education website here.
Status with the French Ministry of Education
ISM is registered as a private establishment of higher education in France with an official status from the French Ministry of Education: Établissement d'enseignement supérieur privé technique. ISM's International MBA, DBA and PhD programs are recognized as higher education programs. See instructions for how to verify ISM's status with the French Ministry of Education here.
Membership
ISM is an Advanced Signatory Member of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a United Nations Global Compact initiative to transform management education, research, and thought leadership globally. As an institution of higher education involved in the development of current and future leaders, ISM declares its willingness to progress in the implementation, within the institution, of the Six Principles of PRME and to advance corporate responsibility and sustainability by incorporating universal values into its curriculum and research.
Read our latest PRME report here.
ISM is a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in France. The AmCham's 500+ members include more than 150 CAC 40 and Fortune 100 companies. The Chamber’s activities and operations are completely funded by dues and contributions from its members.
Part of a network of 115 AmChams worldwide, AmCham France is a gateway to a global and dynamic business community. The Chamber organizes roundtables with top decision-makers from U.S., French and European government administrations and international business leaders to promote a constructive dialogue on a variety of strategic issues, including: taxation, talent management, data protection, sustainable development, intellectual property rights and trade harmonization.
ISM is a member of the Executive DBA Council.
The mission of the Council is to foster excellence and innovation in executive doctoral degree programs worldwide. The Council serves its membership by helping the involved business schools improve their programs, by enabling exchanges between their Students, Alumni, Faculty and Staff, and by facilitating professional development of individuals who have responsibilities for executive doctoral degree programs. The Council was founded in 2011 with a mission to foster excellence and innovation in executive doctoral degree programs worldwide.
