The Qasim Ibrahim School of Business (QISB) at Villa College has been awarded accreditation by the South Asian Quality Assurance System (SAQS), becoming the first business school in the Maldives to receive this institutional recognition. The accreditation, formally granted on 28th February 2026 by the SAQS Accreditation Awarding Committee under the Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA), covers 13 of QISB's business and management programmes and is valid for a period of three years through to 28th February 2029.
SAQS is the principal accreditation framework for business schools across South Asia, operating in a capacity comparable to globally recognised bodies such as AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA. Administered by AMDISA, an association connecting more than 334 management institutions across the region, SAQS evaluates business schools against internationally defined criteria spanning curriculum design, teaching and learning, research, faculty qualifications, industry engagement, student support, and institutional governance. To date, approximately 66 business schools across Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan have earned SAQS accreditation. The international standing of the system is further demonstrated by the fact that the Association of Indian Universities recognises SAQS accreditation as equivalent to India's National Board of Accreditation. QISB's inclusion within this network marks the first time a Maldivian institution has achieved this level of regional accreditation for business education.
The Scope of the Accreditation
The accreditation encompasses 13 programmes designed and delivered by QISB as Villa College's own programmes. At the master's level, the accredited programmes are the Master of Arts in Human Resource Management, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Aviation Management, Master of Science in Project Management, and Master of Professional Accounting. At the bachelor's level, the accredited programmes are the Bachelor of Arts in Banking and Finance, Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management and Development, Bachelor of Arts in Business and Aviation Management, Bachelor of Arts in Business and Project Management, Bachelor of Arts in Business Management, Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Marketing, Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, and Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Hotel Management.
What This Accreditation Means
The Maldives has established domestic quality assurance mechanisms through the Maldives Qualifications Authority, including programme accreditation, institutional reviews, and oversight by professional bodies. Villa College has engaged fully with these frameworks. The SAQS accreditation, however, introduces an additional layer of external validation, subjecting QISB's programmes, faculty, research activity, student services, and institutional processes to independent scrutiny against benchmarks that apply across the South Asian region and align with international norms for business education.
The distinction is significant. Domestic quality assurance frameworks operate within national parameters and serve an essential regulatory function. International accreditation introduces a comparative dimension, measuring an institution's practices and outputs against those of peer institutions in other countries. For QISB, this means that the curriculum, teaching standards, learning outcomes, and graduate competencies associated with its 13 accredited programmes have been independently assessed and found to meet the thresholds expected of credible business schools operating at a regional and international level.
QISB is the largest school within Villa College by student enrolment and the school with the highest number of Villa College's own programmes. The accreditation therefore carries institutional significance beyond the school itself, reflecting the broader quality assurance standards that Villa College maintains across its operations.
Significance for Students, Alumni, and Industry Partners
For current and prospective students, the accreditation provides third-party assurance that QISB's programmes are designed and delivered to internationally recognised standards. This encompasses not only the curriculum and learning outcomes but also the qualifications and professional development of teaching staff, the support services available to students, and the relevance of the education to the demands of the contemporary labour market. Students enrolling in SAQS-accredited programmes at QISB can be confident that their education has been evaluated against the same framework applied to accredited business schools across the region.
For alumni who have already completed their studies at QISB, the accreditation carries retrospective value. The institutional recognition enhances the standing of qualifications previously earned, reinforcing their credibility in the eyes of employers and professional bodies. QISB graduates hold positions across key sectors of the Maldivian economy, including banking, tourism, and government, and the accreditation strengthens the professional standing of those qualifications.
For employers and industry partners, the accreditation provides an independent signal that graduates of QISB have been educated within a framework that prioritises the development of professional skills, industry-relevant competencies, and practical readiness for the workplace. The accreditation process evaluates not only academic content but also the strength of an institution's links with industry, ensuring that programmes are aligned with the skills that employers require.
The Journey to Accreditation
The process that led to this accreditation began in 2021, when QISB applied to AMDISA and was declared eligible to participate in the SAQS accreditation exercise. Following the eligibility determination, AMDISA appointed an international mentor to work with the QISB team. Over a period of approximately two years, this mentoring relationship guided the school through a process of critical self-examination, during which curricula were reviewed and refined, institutional processes were strengthened, and the school's operations were progressively aligned with SAQS standards.
The next phase required QISB to prepare a comprehensive self-assessment report against the full range of SAQS criteria and quality parameters. This report was submitted to AMDISA for evaluation, after which an international peer review team was appointed to conduct an on-site inspection in the Maldives. The peer review team examined QISB's facilities, met with faculty and students, reviewed documentation, and assessed the institution's practices against the claims made in the self-assessment report. The peer review team's report and recommendations were subsequently vetted by the SAQS Accreditation Awarding Committee, which made the final decision to grant accreditation on 28th February 2026.
The entire process, from initial eligibility to the awarding of accreditation, spanned approximately five years. It required sustained commitment from QISB's leadership, academic staff, and administrative teams, as well as significant investment of time and institutional resources.
Continuous Improvement and Future Aspirations
SAQS accreditation is not a static achievement. It requires ongoing compliance with the quality standards set by AMDISA. QISB is required to submit annual progress reports at the end of Year 1 (February 2027) and Year 2 (February 2028), describing the progress made against the conditions established by the SAQS Accreditation Awarding Committee. In Year 3, the school will need to apply for re-accreditation. This structure ensures that the accreditation functions as a continuous quality improvement process rather than a one-time endorsement.
Villa College's pursuit of international accreditation extends beyond QISB. The college is actively working towards accreditation for its other faculties, schools, and centres, and views the SAQS accreditation as a foundation that will support future efforts to achieve additional international recognitions, including AACSB and EQUIS accreditation. These efforts form part of Villa College's broader institutional strategy, which includes the transition from college to university status, with international quality assurance serving as a central pillar of that ambition.
For students considering business education in the Maldives, the SAQS accreditation of QISB represents an assurance that internationally benchmarked programmes are now available within the country. Applications for Villa College's upcoming May intake are currently open.
