European University Accreditations and Rankings?

Discussion in 'Accreditation Discussions (RA, DETC, state approva' started by susannerothschild, Jan 24, 2014.

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  1. susannerothschild

    susannerothschild New Member

    Hi everyone,

    I would like to join a MBA in International Marketing and several people have told me about European University.

    I'm fortunate to have an establishment next to me (Munich), but I would like to have your opinion on their accreditation.

    I heard they were well rated on a European level and were known for the high quality of their education.

    Thanks

    Suzanne
     
  2. ambrosialombardo

    ambrosialombardo New Member

    Great question, wish I could get an answer too.
    One of my best friend got his bachelor diploma in European University Geneva and told me a really enjoyed it as well as he got to have interesting classes with nice teachers but I wish I could double check having somebody else's feedback,
    Thanks in advance
     
  3. susannerothschild

    susannerothschild New Member

    Hi Ambrosia,
    Thank you. What type of bachelor's degree he obtained?
    Can he give me some advices?
     
  4. calandretheriault

    calandretheriault New Member

    European University accredited

    Hi Susanne,

    Yes, European University is accredited - in fact they have got quite fair accreditations: the ACBSP accreditation for one, and IACBE for the business programs. They also have the CEEMAN International Quality accreditation ( European University Wikipedia )

    Be careful, i know there have been quite a few discussions and debates about European University accreditations around. Keep in mind EU is a private school / private university, therefore can not have the public schools accreditation statuses. This is valid for example in Switzerland where no other school than a public swiss school can get a state accreditation. EU's business programs are globally recognized, that is clear from the professional opportunities offered.

    Also, i know the change in management has helped immensely in the quality of the EU tuition. Dirk Craen is heading EU with a very pragmatic vision and quite a serious network.

    I have had the opportunity to teach there and would recommend EU as much as i would recommend Webster University for example.

    Not sure though of their actual development and campuses. I know they are now in Barcelona (which is a great campus), Switzerland (the Geneva region) and i think still in Munich although i have never visited that campus (check European University Accreditation )

    Hope this helps,
    -Cal
     
  5. BobbyJim

    BobbyJim New Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 24, 2014
  6. steflib

    steflib New Member

    Yup i read that, but that thread is old, obsolete and subject to quite a lot of controversies and attacks which from my understanding come from previous management and historical issues.

    Objectively, I have research the European University accreditations and have found them positive with ACBSP and IACBE (ACBSP and IACBE are both recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation). European University also has IQA (CEEMAN) accreditation.

    Since Dirk Crean has taken over the school, he has closed the problematic campuses (belgium i think?) and opened others. I have taken a business program at Geneva's campus and found it very good - but that is only my view. I know I have visited the Barcelona and the Munich campus ( - but have never seen new the executive business campus near Montreux) and they are all top notch, at the level of Webster university in Geneva probably.

    One thing is for sure, big names are holding degrees from European University, and the industry recognizes them (very) well. Mark Hayek, Blancpain's CEO, André Dosé former CEO of Swiss International, Adolf Ogi former Swiss President are holders of EU's degrees and I heard of quite a few other international names in banking, sports, politics and more.

    But anyway, the courses you attend, same as a diploma, are only what you make of them ;)

    If you want any more specific detail, I'd be happy to advise, I sincerely enjoyed my time at EU.
    Best,
    Stef.

    ! Disclosure : I have attended a EU business program.
     
  7. ambrosialombardo

    ambrosialombardo New Member

    Hello Susanne, if I’m not wrong he did a Bachelor in communications, PR and graduated in 2010 or 2011. (not sure exactly...)
    He’s always said good about his studies so it’s a good sign.

    I would like to sign up for an MBA in international Entrepreneuship, leaderships, international business, somewhere along those lines in Geneva or Montreux if possible and have decided to meet with someone from European University directly to get all the info I need and see the campus…

    Stef, tks for the info, it’s always great to have the advice of someone that’s been there! so far so good :tongue:
     
  8. josepintadoso

    josepintadoso New Member

  9. susannerothschild

    susannerothschild New Member

    Thank you for all the precious info Cal, Bobby Jim and Stef, I’ll have a look at the different links you sent over and see what I can get out of them.

    Thanks again,
    Susanne
     
  10. ambravarieur

    ambravarieur New Member

    Hello, I live in Switzerland and have been thinking of joining an MBA program in the area. I was wondering if any of you were able to advise me on which university to pick?
    I’ve been working for nearly 4 years in marketing in firms such as JTI and P&G and wish to further my professional career in major WW companies.

    I heard IMD’s MBA ranks number 1 in the world which is clearly a plus. However it seems they are very « finance » oriented is that correct ?

    Webster has the advantge of offering a good Marketing / Business MBA program, plus they are accredited in the USA, which can only be beneficial if I wish to integrate an American company in the future.

    Also, I’ve heard a lot about European University, and especially the quality of their education. They have a few accreditations but most of all, they seem to have excpetional guestspeakers and quit a bit of CEO’s come out of this school.

    I’ve only just started looking into this so still need to push my research. Of course, any other suggestion is welcome.

    Thank you in advance for your help,
    A.
     
  11. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Historically, this may have been true. But private schools in Switzerland are now eligible for accreditation through the Swiss University Conference, which is jointly organized by the cantonal and federal governments. For example, Franklin College Switzerland (a small private liberal arts college in Lugano) has both US regional accreditation and Swiss University Conference accreditation:

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 29, 2014
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Yes, although for accreditation they require that an institution "employs at least the equivalent of 100 full-time positions;
    of which at least one-third are permanently employed professors" and that its "professors devote an average of at least 30 percent of their working time to research."

    Such requirements aren't assurances of academic quality or financial stability; they're artificial barriers to entry, and high ones at that.
     
  13. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    And pretty much insurmountable for a distance school. That's why they all operate under Cantonal approval. The perceived value of such degrees varies a LOT from school to school.. At the top of the pile, there's IMD business school, Switzerland . An MBA from here has the "triple crown" of program accreditation - EQUIS AMBA and AACSB. I think It costs around $88K - but the average starting salary was something like $130K a couple of years back.

    Now Dr. Craen and his school have been both lauded and vilified in this forum. A not-uncommon occurrence. :smile: I'm surprised at the remark that things have changed so much for the better "since he took over." I thought Dr. Craen had been in charge for many years - I believe at least two of his adult children have positions with the School - one son has been aboard for a few years, now IIRC. And no - I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with that -- just that Dr. Dirk Craen has been in charge for a good long time, AFAIK.

    If I won't get into too much trouble from the school's defenders, I'd like to ask an old, unanswered question once again. Does anyone know which University awarded Dr. Craen his doctorate?

    Someone else asked that some years back; I tried, but couldn't find the answer. That's why I'm interested... :smile:

    Johann
     
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  14. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Franklin College Switzerland is a small school, with a total enrollment of only 419 students. Not surprisingly, Franklin only has 51 faculty -- and 26 of them are part-time. So they clearly flunk the SUC's "100 full-time professor" criterion.

    Yet Franklin doesn't seem to be bothered by this "artificial barrier to entry" -- on the contrary, Franklin boasts full institutional accreditation from SUC. How is this possible? Take another look at the SUC rules. The "100 full-time professors" rule apply to institutions seeking accreditation as a "university". But it is also possible for a degree-granting school to be accredited as an "academic institution", and in this case the rules are much looser.

    An "academic institution" needs "at least the equivalent of two full-time permanently employed professors per programme at the institution." And it can still grant bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. Franklin -- which does not advertise itself as a "university" -- is presumably accredited under this route.

    European University is SUC-accreditable -- they just aren't SUC-accreditable with the word "University" in their name. But that's not an insurmountable barrier to entry. For example, they could be a "College" (like Franklin) or an "Institute" (like IMD).
     
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  15. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    Incidentally, I'm impressed that European University is now marketing itself as "triple-accredited":

    In the rest of the international business school community, "triple accreditation" means AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS.

    At European University, "triple accreditation" apparently means ACBSP, IACBE, and IQA-CEEMAN.
     
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  16. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    It is interesting to note that Franklin's regional accreditation, in the US, is under the name of "Franklin University Switzerland".
    However, Franklin calls itself a "College" in Switzerland.
     
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Well, quite a few anyway, it seems. I believe Dr. Craen took over around 1997, after the um...departure of the founder, Xavier Nieberding.

    That's quite a few years - at least 17 or so. For what EU charges ($19,000+ for an MBA) the degree could be completed at quite a number of schools, in several countries, all with great histories and reputations, no controversy, absolutely iron-clad institutional accreditation, plus programmatic accreditations of the best sort. Heck, you could even do it for less than EU costs!

    Even if this school has improved dramatically, I can see no compelling reason to choose it over many competitors. I think you should check out the competition first, but if you are still contemplating EU - make sure the EU degree will get you where you want to go, in terms of employment or further study. That's "Rule One."

    Johann
     
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  18. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    So they could. Never mind what I said, then; I was wrong. And I also agree that "triple accreditation" claim may be technically true, but is awfully disingenuous.

    It raises the question why Swiss Management Center went out of their way to rebrand themselves as "SMC University" when they could have become institutionally accredited locally under the rules you've outlined with the name they already had.
     
  19. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    SUC has now accredited four private institutions in Switzerland. None of them are "universities".

    - Franklin College. Accredited as a "university" in the US, but as a "college" in Switzerland.

    - Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement. English name is "Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies", or the "Graduate Institute of Geneva" for short. So it's an "Institute".

    - Facoltà di Teologia di Lugano. Literally a "Faculty of Theology" in English. This seems to be a common term in Europe, used by both standalone theological schools and by theological schools within larger universities.

    - Theologische Hochschule Chur. Literally a "theological high school" in English. But in German, a "Hochschule" is a specialized institution of higher education, unlike a US "high school". Only has about 55 students, which further highlights the availability of SUC accreditation.
     
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  20. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    There may be a very good reason for that. I believe there's a law scheduled for 2015 0r 2016 that will only allow schools with the full-bore "100-professors-and-all-that" standing to call themselves Universities in Switzerland. I saw a remark somewhere that EU will have to change its name by then - unless there's "grandfathering" and I don't know if there is.

    Marketing reasons only, I'd guess. Perhaps they're hoping to be "grandfathered" too. If there's none when that new law comes into effect, they may have to "re-brand" themselves again.
    SSSS! Yee-ouch! :firedevil:

    Johann
     
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