I am from Vietnam and now I am joining into MBA program linked between IBSS (International Business School of Scandinavia) and AeU (Asia e University). It is a part-time MBA program with blended learning and very flexible and convenient for busy students. The program lasts more than 1,5 years with 8 trips to Malaysia and one thesis. Each trip is held within three days of weekend so it doesn't affect to my job. The training quality is good with well-qualified international trainers. There are two kinds of class: regional class for student who is not good at English and international class for student who wants to study in English. The tuition fee is acceptable. The program grants dual degrees of IBSS and AeU. In general, it is a good choice for whom seeking a MBA in Asia.

[Edited by cong.tuan on Aug 20, 2018]

How much do those schools pay you to post this kind of ad messages? Did you get a tuition waver for that?

I don't think the IBSS can issue degrees, legally.

I don't think the IBSS can issue degrees, legally.

Not much of a dual degree programme then, is it?

And, seriously, there are 10 to 12 hours of lectures for each of the 15 courses.

As a graduate from Scandinavia system and have extensive knowledge of the education environment there, frankly IBSS is qualified degree mill.

I better spend the money in Thailand massage houses and buy a degree from the internet at 100 USD

Dear potential students,

On the behalf of International Business School of Scandinavia (Denmark), I would like to clarify that our MBA program is fully legal in Denmark. IBSS also hold an ACIS accreditation.

IBSS can therefore legally issue legal and valid degrees.


If you have any questions regarding the legality, prices, or content of the MBA (subjects description) please feel free to contact us so that we can provide you with more information.

Please contact us on:

[email protected]


With kind regards,

International Business School of Scandinavia ApS
Automatikvej 1, 2860 Søborg
Denmark

That is not true. Your "accreditation" is meaningless. Please link to the documentation with which the Danish government allows you to issue graduate degree. I doubt that exists.

The MBA title is not restricted to the official university educations.

Please contact us at [email protected], Att: Mr. Estridsen, and our lawyer will provide you with documents from The Danish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education concerning this matter.

Why not just upload them?

Perhaps the MBA is not restricted to universities, but the question is this: do you have the legal right to issue academic degrees? Or is your MBA some non-academic certificate quite unlike other MBAs in Europe?

PS Here is the English-language website of the Danish ministry, and its list of the higher education institutions in the country: http://studyindenmark.dk/study-in-denmark/danish-higher-education-institutions The IBSS is, of course, not on the list.

What this dickhead is trying to say in plain English is this. MBA in Denmark or Scandinavia can be delivered like any vocational training equaling burger flipping or kebab serving and we have the right to issue those education and certificates.

OK that is equivalent to selling certificates that does not even worth the paper they are printed on.

Why are you charging so much money for a certificate? I can make my own and print my name on it for 5 bucks.

Such a bunch of liars

Dear All,

I understand Your concerns related to issuing MBA degrees. IBSS issue both a Executive MBA and a Academic MBA. The focus is different in the two types.

The problem is, that the only form of accreditation that you "accept" is the governmental accreditation. But a large number of countries in the world wish politically to have a dual system. One consisting of governmental institutions with state recognition and one of privates. In most countries the government allow the private sector to get the same accreditation's as the governmental institutions. But of what ever reasons Denmark has there is no such possibility.

So as many other countries Denmark do not involve in accreditation's or approvals for any private institution at adult further educational level. So what institutions do is what you call worthless.. get accreditation from international recognized institutions such as ASIC. Or as AVT People also from Denmark whom is accredited for their MBA by AMBA Accreditation which is considered as one of the TOP accreditation's in the world.

IBSS is to secure our accreditation value gone a step further. We have already received the ASIC accreditation (http://www.asic.org.uk/) which is a School Accreditation and now work on getting the US state recognized ACBSP accreditation where we are already members. http://www.acbsp.org/

Unike countries like Germany, Switzerland, USA, Singapore and many more countries, educational providers can get state accreditation is they live up to the governmental quality standards within the educational area.

- IBSS is ASIC accredited as accreditation through ASIC shows that the college/university is a high quality institution but it is unfortunately not possible to get a Danish governmental accreditation.

That does not make IBSS MBA worthless. IBSS has an dual MBA program with Asian e University in Malaysia, which is governmentally accredited. That means that they have evaluated IBSS MBA and that they think it lives up to their standards.

An IBSS MBA can also be used to make a top up with an UK University!


Regarding the danish list of "higher educational institutions". As IBSS is not a public educational provider, we are not listed on that list.

Neither are for example "AVT People" Copenhagen but you might also believe their MBA is useless as its "only" accredited by one of the top accreditation's in the world.


If you take a look at IMD (International Institute for Management Development", there are top 1-3 in the world rankings concerning their MBA program.)

http://www.imd.org/about/rankings.cfm

As you can see they have been nominated to no. 1 by both Financial Times, Forbes and The Economist.

But you do NOT find IMD on any governmental educational provider list!

That does not mean that IMD's MBA's are worthless - and nor are IBSS MBA.

What it means is that there is a lot of confusing in the educational sector due to lack of uniform rules. Like in Germany each landern decide their own policies... so even if you think you know the rules from one part it might be totally different 20 Km away.

So what is our advise to students:
1. Consider clearly first what your degree is for: Do you need it for professional reasons then Degrees such as IBSS, AVT and IMD just to name a few examples can be much better then more traditional university degrees.
2. If you need a state recognized degree e.g. due to local legislation we as one of the few private providers like IBSS that actually provide a dual degree so that you can study a IBSS/AeU degree which is state recognized. http://www.aeu.edu.my/programmes/master/master-business-administration-mba
3. Consider if you wish only to receive a state recognized degree to do the IBSS MBA with a topup from a UK University. The IBSS MBA is undergoing accreditation/validation from several UK based awarding bodies (which again is a system where private companies outside the legal framework of state approvals but where state approved universities accept those awards to allow students into last part of a degree such as a MBA program). So even this option is open to IBSS Students.

Therefore before starting to make your self a specialist into the educational sector and critize half of the worlds educational providers you might want to start study the legal framework.


IBSS delivers a good quality MBA and we are working in any way possible to improve our MBA program and we are also in the process of acquiring governmental accreditation, but this takes time and unfortunately due to the lacks of rules in the Danish system we have had to setup our institution in other countries where legal framework is more equal for privates and governmental.

I hope this has helped you to put a perspective on this issue.

What all this basically means is that until the IBSS achieves recognized accreditation, it remains a teaching establishment that offers affiliated MBA degrees from external sources. However, the IBSS degree itself does not have academic value at this stage.

If folk use google then you can see that the IBSS doesn't have great feedback. Following the suggestion above to email the IBSS's lawyer (!) to get information on the legal status in Denmark, we will have to wait for their feedback. However, we can say that:
- academic degrees are protected titles in Denmark (and other countries).
- The IBSS is not accredited by the Danish state to issue degrees, or by any of the three respected accreditation bodies. Neither is its partner online university in Malaysia. IMD, in contrast, has all three of those respected accrediation. Nor is national accreditation a requirement in Switzerland (which is is in Denmark, the UK and most other countries in Europe).

Since Denmark has plenty of great business schools with legal standing, I can't see any basis for paying IBSS.

1. I suggest JK Duncan to check his mail, as you have gotten a reply on the 27th of october.

2. IBSS have never claimed to be accredited by the Danish state - nor it is possible as Danish government does not accredit private institutions.

This means that the rules for Switzerland and Denmark are the same, regarding MBA degrees - in contrast to e.g. UK.

3. Our Malaysian partner is State Accredited - contrast to IMB which is NOT STATE ACCREDITED.

So what is better?
- State accreditation or informal accreditation?
- It is hard to tell and up to each student to decide!


We wish you a happy hunt for a perfect MBA!

Good luck!

1. Yes, The email was in my spam folder. The letter says that the MBA title is not restricted to universities and, therefore, IBSS may call its diploma an MBA.
2. There's no dispute that IBSS is not regulated by either a state or by any of the three major accreditation bodies. Personally, I'd say that these three reflect a higher standard, and state accreditation is generally a lower level. IBSS has none, IMD has three.
3. I don't know what percentage of students also get the MBA of the Asia e University. The value of an MBA without any of the three major MBA accreditations is very limited.

We understand that you find these three accreditation bodies the most important:

1. EQUIS (European)
2. AMBA (English)
3. AACSB (American)

We are already in progress/have concluded following:

1. ASIC accreditation, which is an institutional accreditation body recognized by UKBA (United Kingdom Boarder Control) as well as US CHEA (United States Council for Higher Education Accreditation).

2. We are in progress of acquiring EFMD CEL program as our MBA is a blended learning program.

3. We are members ACBSP and in progress of apply for their program accreditation as well.

IBSS DK,

For your information:

Is the IMD MBA degree recognized?
Yes, the IMD MBA degree is awarded by the University of Lausanne and is recognized by
AACSB
EQUIS
AMBA

IMD MBA is awarded by a very strong university in its home country. The University of Lausanne.

If your degree is awarded and protected by one of Universities in Denmark like Copenhagen no body would doubt the quality.

You go all the way to South East Asia to find a dubious college and get accreditation there. Why would people want to do a degree with a community agricultural schools offering course on the dialup internet.

For godsake, you should get legal right to issue degree from those Eskimo. They are not too far away and is ranked top of the world for fishing on the ice and living in the snow

ASIC is not an accreditation body for graduate programmes in business. Indeed, it's not even aimed at higher education.

*Membership* of AACSB is quite different from accreditation by it.

Seriously, if you want to offer higher education in Denmark, why not teach the MBA of an internationally accredited MBA - like that of the University of London - rather than of a rather disputable school on the other side of the world? Self-evidently it's because you're offering a cheap and cheering qualification aimed at international students who want a European MBA.

Honestly, why should anyone study with IBSS when they could go to a state university in Europe and get a really solid qualification?

Ministry of Higher Education and Science

Unaccredited/non-recognised institutions
A few private companies operating on the Internet and located in Denmark present or have presented themselves as higher education institutions even though they are not publicly recognised as educational institutions and the degrees or other titles they offer do not correspond to any qualification within the Danish education system. This applies to "International Business School of Scandinavia", "Knightsbridge University", "Green Hills University", "The Arab Academy in Denmark” / ”The Arab Open Academy in Denmark" / "Arab Open University", "Northwestern International University, Ltd.", and "Aalborg Academy of Science", and it may also apply to other companies.

[Edited by Abdelfattah Habib on Aug 08, 2019]