Accreditations and Partnerships
EQUIS Accreditation
In fall 2022, the Sobey School of Business attained EQUIS accreditation. This prestigious accreditation is held by less than two percent of business schools worldwide and is valid for a three-year period. EQUIS is the leading international system of quality assessment, improvement and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.
Institutions that are accredited by EQUIS must demonstrate not only high general quality in all dimensions of their activities but also a high degree of internationalisation. EQUIS is also not primarily focused on the MBA or any other specific program, with its scope covering all programs offered by an institution from the first degree up to the PhD.
EQUIS is managed and run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) Global, the largest international network association in the field of management development. The fundamental objective of EQUIS, linked to the mission of the EFMD Global, is to raise the standard of management education worldwide.
AACSB Accreditation
Sobey School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The AACSB Accreditation Standards challenge post-secondary educators to pursue excellence and continuous improvement throughout their business programs. AACSB Accreditation is known worldwide as the longest-standing, most recognized form of specialized/professional accreditation an institution and its business programs can earn. AACSB-accredited schools have the highest quality faculty, relevant and challenging curriculum, and provide educational and career opportunities that are not found at other business schools.
AACSB Accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Less than 5% of the world's 13,000 business programs have earned AACSB Accreditation.
Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME)
Sobey School Chosen as 2024-2025 PRME Champions
The Sobey School of Business is proud to be a signatory to PRME, a United Nations initiative. The Principles for Responsible Management Education provide a framework for business schools to advance the broader cause of corporate social responsibility and incorporate universal values into curricula and research. PRME engages business and management schools to ensure they provide future leaders with the skills needed to balance economic and sustainability goals while drawing attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Sobey School of Business is excited to share that we have been selected once again as PRME Champions, for the 2024-2025 cycle, PRME signatories who have committed to being leaders in responsible management education.
The Sobey School reports bi-annually on the ways we have incorporated the principles of PRME into our curriculum, research and daily work. Most recently, the Sobey School held a Responsible Leadership Day, where over 120 attendees, including students, faculty, alumni, researchers, industry experts and government partners discussed food security and the pursuit of a more sustainable future through the new international sustainability reporting standards. Our faculty are doing research on a variety of important issues that tie into many of the SDGs, including the poverty-climate change nexus, social entrepreneurship, the role of gender in venture capitalism and much more. The Sobey School also has a PRME library available for access to resources related to integrating the SDGs into courses, or learning more about responsible management education. Beyond these efforts, the Sobey School is actively mapping the SDGs through the curricula including in the Bachelor of Commerce, the largest degree program in the School.
Download the PRME Report 2022 (PDF)
CPHR Accreditation
Thanks to an accreditation agreement the School has signed with the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Canada (Nova Scotia), upon graduation, Sobey HR majors with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above will be able to apply for a waiver of the National Knowledge Exam (NKE), one of the key steps in achieving the Chartered Professional in Human Resources designation.
CFA® University Affiliate Program*
The Sobey School of Business's Finance major and Master of Finance program are recognized as Chartered Financial Analyst®(CFA) University Affiliated programs.
The CFA designation is the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world and is often called the "gold standard" for the investment management industry. As a CFA Affiliated University, our Finance programs are closely tied to professional practice, providing students with a solid grounding in the CFA Program's Candidate Body of Knowledge and positioning them well to sit for CFA exams. This affiliation allows our Finance students to be eligible for scholarships and have access to CFA Institute curriculums, journals, webcasts and other educational resources.
Chartered Financial Analyst and CFA are registered trademarks of CFA Institute.
CMC Canada Partnership
MBA students interested in consulting can take advantage of our longstanding partnership with CMC Canada. By taking elective courses in management consulting and project management, students academically qualify to pursue the CMC designation. Our MBA program has had a long relationship with CMC Canada.