Two master's programmes in business studies receive significant international recognition

In their evaluation, the international evaluation group highlighted University of Vaasa's excellent reputation, strong research and competent personnel.

– It is important to our university that we provide education that is internationally high-quality and attractive. The accreditations are international recognitions that signify a guarantee of good teaching for students and for future employers, certainty that the expert to be recruited has achieved the set learning outcomes, says Vice-Rector of University of Vaasa, Annukka Jokipii.

The accreditation of the Master’s Degree Programme in Finance was extended for a further five years. The Master’s Programme in Strategic Business Development (SBD) received the EFMD Accredited quality label for three years. In addition to these programmes, University of Vaasa's Master’s programme in international business (MIB) has a five-year EFMD accreditation. The programmes are intended for Finnish and international master's level students.

According to Jokipii, going through the evaluation encourages all the degree programmes of the university to aim for a high-quality and international level.

– Through accreditations, we are conducting quality evaluations also for our other programmes in business and technology. We have also received excellent results from these.

Education is continuously developed

The Master’s Degree Programme in Finance focuses on corporate finance and financial markets. The programme was granted accreditation already for the third time. The international evaluation group highlighted the excellent reputation and academic basis of the programme.

– In recent years, we have done a lot of work to develop the programme to become ever better, for example by increasing international collaboration and by incorporating the research environment Bloomberg Lab in the teaching. The Master's programme was also approved into CFA Institute's partner programme two years ago. We will strive to develop the programme also in the future so that it meets the changing needs of working life as well as international quality requirements, says professor Janne Äijö.

Our Master’s Degree Programme in Strategic Business Development (SBD) was included in the evaluation for the second time. Our SBD Master's Programme is the only strategic business development programme in Finland and in the entire world that has been granted the EFMD Accredited quality label. Teachers with a very high level of expertise, academic strength, and innovative approach were seen as the programme's strengths. The evaluation also highlighted the popularity of both Master's programmes among applicants.

– It is great that an esteemed international evaluation group has evaluated our teaching to be of very high academic quality as well as innovative. It is precisely these factors that will also in future facilitate the SBD Master's programme's excellent success both in Finland and internationally, says Suvi Einola, degree programme manager, Assistant Professor.

Business programme accreditation

EFMD Accredited is an international accreditation for business programmes. The accreditation is granted by the non-profit organisation European Foundation for Management Development EFMD. There are currently about 120 EFMD Accredited programmes around the world and a total of five in Finland.

The evaluation emphasises the quality, internationality, working life relevance, ethicality and sustainable development of education. In particular, the review focused on the content, teaching methods, staff competence, and student support services of the degree programmes. 

Further information
Vice Rector Annukka Jokipii, University of Vaasa, tel. +358 29 449 8482