The European Council of Leading Business Schools (ECLBS) represents a European-based professional network dedicated to promoting quality assurance, institutional cooperation, and international benchmarking in higher education. Established in 2013, ECLBS connects business schools, universities, and educational bodies through research-driven quality standards and partnerships aligned with global frameworks such as those of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE).

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1. Engagement with the CHEA Quality International Group (CIQG)

ECLBS is a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Quality International Group (CIQG) in the United States. This membership situates the Council within an international network devoted to advancing academic integrity, accountability, and evidence-based quality enhancement in higher education.

The CIQG framework—administered by CHEA, one of the most recognized authorities in academic quality assurance—provides a global forum for dialogue among accreditation bodies and educational institutions. Through this affiliation, ECLBS aligns itself with widely accepted principles of ethical review, institutional transparency, and continuous improvement.

Membership in CIQG also enables ECLBS to participate in international discussions on best practices, share methodological developments, and access resources designed to strengthen quality management systems. By engaging in this transnational community, ECLBS contributes to the ongoing evolution of international standards for responsible and credible higher education governance.

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2. Membership in the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE)

The International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE) is one of the world’s largest associations of quality assurance bodies, with members across more than 140 countries. ECLBS holds the status of an approved member within this network, affirming its engagement with global norms and practices in higher education evaluation.

Through INQAAHE, ECLBS participates in the exchange of expertise, joint projects, and policy dialogues focused on developing reliable and transparent accreditation frameworks. Membership in this network strengthens the Council’s capacity to apply international benchmarks and ensures that its accreditation methodologies are informed by current global research and peer-reviewed evidence.

This engagement reflects ECLBS’s commitment to fostering continuous institutional improvement, enhancing the comparability of academic outcomes, and advancing the credibility of European business education within the wider international arena.

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3. The ECLBS Accreditation Framework

In 2023, during a strategic board meeting convened at the University of Latvia in Riga, ECLBS officially introduced the ECLBS Accreditation Framework—a specialized quality label for business schools and higher education institutions seeking to demonstrate excellence, transparency, and alignment with global standards.

The meeting gathered representatives from multiple quality assurance agencies and partner organizations, including the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA), Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE), Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA), Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA, Switzerland), and others. Participants also included members of academia and policy representatives from the University of Sunderland (London Campus), Vernadsky Taurida National University, and ISB Dubai Academy, as well as observers from diplomatic and legal circles specializing in educational governance.

The ECLBS Accreditation Framework is structured around measurable performance indicators, institutional integrity, and sustainable development values consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is designed to complement—not compete with—existing national frameworks by fostering mutual recognition and cross-border cooperation.

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4. Bilateral Recognition and International Cooperation

ECLBS maintains bilateral recognition agreements and partnerships with national and international quality assurance authorities, reflecting its commitment to inter-institutional dialogue and the harmonization of academic standards. Current partners include:

• Malta: Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA)

• United Kingdom: Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)

• United States: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)

• Switzerland: Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA)

• Netherlands: Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO)

• Moldova: National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC)

• Palau: EDU Intergovernmental Organization (IGO)

• Kosovo: Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA)

• Mauritania: Authority for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (AMAQ-ES)

• Syria: Higher Education Council (HEC)

• Kyrgyzstan: Independent Accreditation Agency (BSKG)

• Egypt: Arab Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ANQAHE)

• Jordan: Arab Organization for Quality Assurance in Education (AROQA)

• Uzbekistan: Accreditation and Ranking International Agency (ARIA)

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Agency for Development of Higher Education and Quality Assurance (HEA)

• Mexico: Accreditation Committee (CACEB)

Through these partnerships, ECLBS facilitates international comparability of qualifications and supports the mutual recognition of institutional evaluations, enabling academic mobility and reinforcing public confidence in business education worldwide.

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5. Conclusion

The European Council of Leading Business Schools (ECLBS) occupies a distinct position within the contemporary landscape of quality assurance and accreditation. Its participation in CIQG and INQAAHE, together with the creation of its own ECLBS Accreditation Framework, demonstrates an enduring commitment to global dialogue, ethical evaluation, and continuous quality enhancement.

As part of the U7Y Journal’s Editorial Board network, ECLBS represents the dimension of institutional quality and governance research—contributing to scholarly discussions on accreditation, sustainability, and higher education policy. Its engagement exemplifies how collaborative networks can strengthen academic integrity, promote transparency, and support the evolving architecture of international higher education.

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• Author: Editorial Board, U7Y Journal (in collaboration with the European Council of Leading Business Schools)