The Qasim Ibrahim School of Business at Villa College has received accreditation under the South Asian Quality Assurance System (SAQS), becoming the first institution in the Maldives to obtain recognition under the regional quality framework for business schools.
SAQS is administered by the Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA), an international network connecting more than 300 management institutes across the region. The system evaluates business schools on academic standards, governance, faculty capacity, curriculum design and engagement with industry. Around 60 business schools worldwide are currently part of the SAQS accreditation system, with accredited institutions located in countries including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan.
The accreditation places Villa College’s business school among a group of institutions recognised for meeting regional standards in business education. The Qasim Ibrahim School of Business is the largest academic school within Villa College, enrolling the highest number of students and offering the widest range of the college’s own programmes.
The recognition is also considered a notable development for the Maldives’ higher education sector, as it represents international validation of the quality of business education delivered by a local institution.
Under the accreditation, 13 programmes offered by the Qasim Ibrahim School of Business in the fields of business and management have been recognised. These include five master’s level programmes and eight bachelor’s level programmes delivered by the college.
The accredited master’s programmes include 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 undergraduate level, the recognised programmes include degrees in banking and finance, business management, marketing, tourism and hotel management, human resource management and development, accounting and finance, and business programmes linked to aviation and project management.
The process leading to accreditation began in 2021 when the school received eligibility to participate in the SAQS programme. An international mentor was appointed to guide the institution through a multi-year process that involved reviewing academic systems, strengthening internal procedures and preparing a comprehensive self-assessment report.
Following the submission of the report, an international peer review team conducted an on-site evaluation of the school’s operations in the Maldives. Based on the findings and recommendations of the review process, the SAQS Accreditation Awarding Committee granted accreditation to the Qasim Ibrahim School of Business on 28 February 2026.
SAQS accreditation operates as a continuous quality improvement system that includes mentoring, self-assessment and peer review. Institutions receiving the accreditation are required to maintain ongoing evaluation processes to ensure that academic standards, teaching quality and institutional management continue to meet the required benchmarks.
Villa College states that the recognition strengthens the international credibility of qualifications earned by students studying at the Qasim Ibrahim School of Business. The accreditation also signals to employers and industry partners that graduates from the programmes have completed their studies under internationally evaluated academic standards.
The college also notes that the accreditation reflects the school’s links with key industries in the Maldives, including banking, tourism, aviation and project management, which contribute to the practical relevance of its programmes.
Villa College has indicated that the recognition forms part of a broader effort to obtain international accreditation across its faculties, schools and academic centres as the institution works towards transitioning into a university. The college also noted that the achievement may support future efforts to pursue larger global accreditations such as AACSB and EQUIS.
