The Faculty of Economics at the University of Zagreb is the only one in Croatia accredited with three prestigious accreditations

As of March 1, 2022, the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb became the only institution in the Republic of Croatia and one of 207 in the world accredited according to the EQUIS system. EFMD –​ European Foundation for Management Development (hrv. Europska zaklada za razvoj menadžmenta) along with the American AACSB is the leading international accreditation body that enables independent and professional external evaluation of the quality of economic and business faculties in the world.

Achieving the very rigorous EQUIS criteria is an objective proof of excellence and belonging to the best educational institutions in the world. By obtaining this recognition, the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb joined the list of the top one percent of the best faculties worldwide that have met the rigorous EQUIS standards. In our region, this has also been achieved by the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business, and four Italian universities: Bologna University Business School, SDA Bocconi University, Politecnico di Milano, and LUISS Business School.

Not the first time

International accreditations at the global level AACSB and EQUIS open many doors for students to continue their studies anywhere in the world and employability in international companies where international accreditation is a criterion for proof of excellence and quality of education. The accreditation history of the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb is quite intense: since 2011, the Bachelor Degree in Business (BDIB) has been the first internationally accredited study program in the Republic of Croatia. The EPAS accreditation of the selected study program, now EFMD Programme Accreditation; only the BDIB program has been awarded twice in the entire Croatia for the maximum of five years, which is the best proof of the excellence of the BDiB program and the excellent careers that BDiB students achieve after completing this study.

Throughout its 102-year-long history, EFZG has always been focused on achieving excellence in all aspects of its work, and the best proof is the excellent results and career successes achieved by EFZG alumni: so far, more than 90,000 participants have obtained a diploma from the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb, to which nearly 900 PhDs should be added.

By obtaining EQUIS accreditation and all other accreditations in recent years, the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb demonstrates that, according to objective, rigorous international criteria of accreditation bodies composed of deans of the best faculties in the world, it has excellent study programs that are fully aligned with the needs of the labor market, that studying at EFZG enables competitive personal development and rapid advancement in business careers, and that EFZG professors are the leading national, regional, and international experts, scientists, and researchers in their fields.

Tradition and innovation

In the accreditation statement, experts from practice particularly praised EFZG’s cooperation with the economy, opportunities for practical work and learning. In almost every course and in all study programs, students solve practical tasks, have regular guest appearances from leading leaders and practitioners who convey the latest trends and experiences, thus learning from the best. However, this is just a continuation of EFZG’s long-standing efforts to achieve learning outcomes according to which students acquire the latest general and practical knowledge and skills that enable them quick employability, career advancement, and adaptation to changes in the market. Many innovative entrepreneurial projects initiated at EFZG have become globally recognized, such as ‘SMS parking’ back in 2002, ‘Teddy the Guardian’ in the BDiB program, and a series of successful entrepreneurial startups.

Opened the doors to the world

An increasing number of EFZG students are gaining international learning experience: 616 exchange students traveled to 48 countries. At the Faculty of Economics – Zagreb, in recent years, 1,000 students from around the world have studied, which is the result of international exchange with 181 faculties with which ‘Erasmus’ or bilateral cooperation agreements have been signed.

Interestingly, EFZG’s study programs have inspired similar programs in other institutions. Among the newer innovations in teaching at EFZG is the course Affective Computing in Digital Economy, which is offered in the BDiB program and is available only at a few universities in the world, such as MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). The EQUIS international accreditation team particularly praised the quality of study programs and applied pedagogical methods, cooperation with the economy, and the quality of scientific work and international success of EFZG students and alumni.