How to assess the Quality of a Degree or an Institution?

In France, a qualification is said to be national when it is recognised, i.e. accredited, by the government. This recognition is a guarantee of quality. It covers the following qualifications:

• higher technical diplomas (BTS), university technology diplomas (DUT), professional bachelor (Licence professionelle) and bachelor's degrees (Licence), master's degrees and doctorates awarded by French universities;
• the title of engineer, conferring the grade of Master, awarded by the CTI (Commission des titres d'ingénieurs);
• diplomas from business and management schools that have been approved by the CEFDG (Commission d'évaluation des formations et diplômes de gestion);
• professional training courses registered in the Répertoire National des Certifications Professionnelles (RNCP);
• specific courses (architecture, arts, political science, etc.) that have obtained accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.

When a degree is not recognised by the government, it bears the name of the awarding institution. It may have value on the labour market, but does not offer equivalence for further study.

Accreditations provide guarantees on the quality of the courses and qualifications awarded by an institution. For business and management schools, these accreditations are issued by independent associations or foundations, such as

• AACSB: Association for the Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business;
• AMBA: Association of MBAs;
• EFMD: European Foundation for Management Development.

The accreditation process is lengthy and sometimes represents a significant cost for the institutions applying for it. Accreditations are time-limited and are often valid for periods of three to six years.

Labels are reliable indicators of the quality of a course or institution. For engineering education, there are two such labels:

• EUR-ACE: Accreditation of European Engineering Programs;
• QUESTE: Quality System of European Scientific and Technical Education.

The Conférence des grandes écoles (CGE) awards two specific labels to grandes écoles:

• the specialised master's degree (MS), which certifies a level of training equivalent to the sixth (6th) year of higher education, in the context of a post-master's specialisation. It is reserved for management schools, engineering schools and certain large institutions such as the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM).
• the Master of Science (MSc) in Management, which is awarded to courses at the level of the 5th year of higher education, in management schools or engineering schools. With a strong international focus, these courses are generally taught in English and are aimed at foreign students.