Big success of FIR – EPAS accreditation for two programs for 5 years!

FIR successfully defended international accreditation EPAS for two master’s degree programs International Trade and International Business, this time for the period of 5 years. This exceptional success invites FIR into the elite club of only eight universities worldwide, which have gained the longest possible period of accreditation for more than one program. Accreditation itself means for the faculty not only an appreciation of its sucessess and a confirmation of right strategic and managerial decision in key area of development, but it is also an important commitment and challenge for an enduring perfection of established direction.

EPAS accreditation board approved the FIR accreditation for the period of five years within its meeting on February 20, 2018. Currently, there are 111 study programs organized at 82 universities in 38 countries in the world that hold the accreditation EPAS (35 out of 111 programs are accredited for 5 years). The FIR was the first and remains the only university in the Czech Republic that has received this international accreditation.

The accreditation is awarded by the European Foundation for Management Development based on strict conditions. The main goal of the accreditation is to establish an international standard of quality for management study programs. The accreditation procedure is highly demanding and only those universities that fulfil entry requirements and achieve sustainable outcomes can apply for the accreditation. The international aspect is crucial, covering primarily study programs and internships abroad, number of international students and guest lecturers and a proportion of instruction in English. The accreditations have been awarded since 2005 and that usually for 3 years; the best rated study programs can receive the accreditation for 5 years.

The EPAS Accreditation process is initiated with a detailed Self-Assessment Report that follows an exactly specified structure. In 5 chapters, the university is asked to evaluate its positioning in the national education system, to explain its institutional framework, to state basic information (qualification structure of lecturers, number of applicants, admission method and number of accepted students, etc.), program objectives, curriculum content and its methodology, possibilities to study abroad, connection with experts, profile of its graduates, etc. Afterwards, the Self-Evaluation Report is followed by a so-called Peer Review during which an international team of four experts visits the university in person. During the Peer Review, the evaluated university submits all materials related to the programs, including educational materials, textbooks, examples of tests, students’ presentations, solved case studies and diploma theses. Consequently, the Board talks to the Rector of the University, the Dean and the Management of the Faculty, with Program Supervisors, supervisors and lecturers of courses, students, and graduates and might also choose any employee and any student of the Faculty to verify the information provided. Based on the review, the team of experts executes their written reasoned recommendation for or against awarding the accreditation that is submitted to the Accreditation Board. The Board can, however, is not obliged to, follow the proposal of the expert team.

Study programs International Trade (Mezinárodní obchod) and International Business were, following a three-years procedure, awarded the accreditation in 2012 and 2015.