Updated October 2026 · Prepared by Edhitch’s accreditation advisory team
What are AMBA and EQUIS?
AMBA (the Association of MBAs) accredits programmes — MBA, DBA and the Master of Business Management (MBM) — and reviews a school’s whole MBA portfolio together. EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System) accredits the whole institution against international standards across ten chapters. A school holding AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS together has the Triple Crown.
| AACSB | AMBA | EQUIS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is accredited | The business school | MBA, DBA and MBM programmes | The institution |
| Core focus | Strategy, learner success, impact | Programme quality and graduate outcomes | International quality across ten chapters |
| Maximum term | Review every 6 years | 5 years | 5 years (or 3 years) |
| Indian schools | 31 | 16 | About 9 |
AMBA: what it assesses
AMBA accreditation looks at the MBA portfolio as a whole — every MBA the school runs must meet the criteria. Its assessment covers:
| Area | What AMBA looks for |
|---|---|
| Institution | Integrity, sustainability and distinctiveness of the school |
| Faculty | Quality and sufficiency of faculty, including doctoral qualification |
| Programme design | Design, leadership, curriculum breadth and depth |
| Students | Cohort experience, including relevant work experience and cohort size |
| Learning outcomes | Competences, graduate attributes and rigorous, relevant assessment |
| Delivery | Contact hours, interaction and learning experience |
| Impact | Career development, employability and lifelong learning |
Indian AMBA-accredited schools include IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, ISB, XLRI, SPJIMR, MDI Gurgaon and TAPMI.
EQUIS: the ten standards chapters
| Chapter | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Context, Governance and Strategy | Mission, autonomy, governance and strategic direction |
| 2. Programmes | Programme portfolio, design and delivery, pedagogic innovation |
| 3. Students | Recruitment, selection, progression and outcomes |
| 4. Faculty | Size, qualifications and management of the faculty |
| 5. Research and Development | Academic and practice-oriented research output |
| 6. Executive Education | Executive programmes and their quality |
| 7. Resources and Administration | Physical, digital and financial resources |
| 8. Internationalisation | International faculty, students, partnerships and outlook |
| 9. Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability | How ERS is embedded across the school |
| 10. Connections with Practice | Engagement with business and the professions |
The EQUIS process
- Confirm eligibility. The school must control its own strategy and budget and have dedicated faculty and staff.
- Write the Self-Assessment Report. A full report against all ten chapters, with supporting data.
- Prepare the Student Report. Written by students independently of school leadership.
- Host the Peer Review Visit. An international team reviews the school, including one major programme in depth.
- Receive the decision. The Accreditation Board awards five-year or three-year accreditation, or declines it.
The full EQUIS process typically runs 12–24 months. Indian EQUIS schools include IIM Ahmedabad (the first, in 2008), IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, ISB, SPJIMR and MDI Gurgaon.
The Triple Crown in India
Six Indian schools hold AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS together: IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, ISB, SPJIMR, IIM Lucknow and MDI Gurgaon — the last two from December 2025. Worldwide, fewer than 1% of business schools hold all three.
What makes the Triple Crown hard
- Three standards, three reports. AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS each ask for the same faculty, student and outcome data in a different shape.
- Faculty data in three formats. AACSB’s SA/PA/SP/IP, AMBA’s doctoral proportion and EQUIS’s faculty chapter are compiled separately.
- Learning outcomes measured three times. Assurance of Learning, AMBA’s graduate attributes and EQUIS programme quality all rest on the same assessment data.
- Indian frameworks on top. NBA, NAAC and NIRF Management ask for it all again.
Master Data Map for AMBA and EQUIS
Master Data Map runs AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS on one institutional record — the same record that produces your NBA SAR for MBA and PGDM, your NAAC data and your NIRF Management submission. Every report is a view of the same data.
| Capability | What it does |
|---|---|
| Triple Crown data model | One faculty, student, programme and outcome record mapped to AACSB standards, AMBA criteria and the ten EQUIS chapters. |
| EQUIS datasheets | Generates the data tables for the Self-Assessment Report, chapter by chapter, from the record. |
| AMBA programme profiles | Cohort profile, work experience, contact hours and faculty qualification for every MBA in the portfolio. |
| Shared outcomes engine | One assessment record feeds AACSB Assurance of Learning, AMBA graduate attributes, EQUIS programme quality and NBA attainment. |
| Internationalisation and practice logs | Partnerships, international faculty and students, and corporate connections, ready for EQUIS chapters 8 and 10. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between AMBA and EQUIS?
AMBA accredits programmes — the MBA, DBA and MBM portfolio. EQUIS accredits the whole business school against ten chapters of international standards.
What is Triple Crown accreditation?
A business school with AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS accreditation at the same time holds the Triple Crown. Fewer than 1% of business schools worldwide hold it.
Which Indian business schools have the Triple Crown?
IIM Calcutta, IIM Indore, ISB, SPJIMR, IIM Lucknow and MDI Gurgaon.
What are the EQUIS standards chapters?
Context, Governance and Strategy; Programmes; Students; Faculty; Research and Development; Executive Education; Resources and Administration; Internationalisation; Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability; and Connections with Practice.
How long is AMBA and EQUIS accreditation?
AMBA accreditation runs for up to five years. EQUIS is awarded for five years or three years.
How does Master Data Map help with AMBA and EQUIS?
Master Data Map runs AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS on one institutional record, generates EQUIS datasheets and AMBA programme profiles, and uses one outcomes engine for Assurance of Learning, AMBA graduate attributes and NBA attainment.
Triple Crown Readiness Review
30-minute session with our team. We’ll map your AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS evidence on one record and show the gaps.
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