Tag Archives: Accreditation

Interview: Daisuke Motoki of FIBAA

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Daisuke Motoki (Photo: FIBAA)

Daisuke Motoki (Photo: FIBAA)

So, if you can’t find many German MBA programs in the international rankings yet, where can you go to find out which programs are good?

Try the Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation (FIBAA), which has been accrediting business programs in German-speaking countries since 2002. We spoke to Daisuke Motoki, head of accreditation procedures at FIBAA, about German MBA programs and how prospective students can use the FIBAA website to inform themselves.

Will some German MBA programs become “household names” internationally, like IMD or INSEAD?

I think so. Some of the schools, like Mannheim, GISMA, and WHU-Kellogg are already strong, internationally-oriented programs. First of all, they are taught completely in English, which is basically a prerequisite to be able to attract international students, as well as an international faculty. International orientation is of course not only of interest to foreigners; many Germans are also very interested and attracted to programs with this strong international focus.

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Interview: Christian Homburg of Mannheim Business School

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Mannheim Business School was recently accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), making it the only German business school to get the “Triple Crown” of accreditations from AMBA, EQUIS, and AACSB. The school’s president explains why Germany is a good choice for MBA students from abroad.

When will we start seeing MBA programs in Germany become bigger players on the global market and in the rankings?

Christian Homburg, (Photo: Mannheim Business School)

Christian Homburg, (Photo: Mannheim Business School)

It’s only a matter of time. Although Germany may not become an MBA country to the extent that the US and the UK are in the conceivable future, a handful of business schools have the potential to earn a very good position in the international rankings. Up to now, German MBA programs were simply too young to be taken into consideration in the most important rankings. But this should change soon.

What are the main things that have had to (or will have to) change in German institutions to compete with other European business schools?

The quality of research and teaching and the infrastructure are certainly not reasons why the good German business schools haven’t been noticed enough on an international scale up to now. In my opinion, it is a basic requirement that German business schools should appear more confidently on the market. However, MBA programs demand another organizational framework, another teaching and thinking style than is common at many German universities, as well as a consistent market and service orientation of the overall organization. This is still often in short supply in Germany.

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