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Quality Assurance Strategy

The SBS Quality Assurance Strategy (Quality Education Handbook) supports the vision and mission of SBS and complies with legal requirements.
The goals of quality assurance are derived from the SBS Strategic Plan 2025-2029. The approach comprises stakeholder integration, continuous improvement, and outcome-based measurement. Our approach is reflective of “Kaizen” – every defect is a treasure.” We aim to improve by being reflective and always striving to do better. 

Vision and Mission – Quality Assurance

The vision and mission of SBS are positioning the institution as an internationally oriented tertiary education institution focusing on business education, applied research, and services.

Vision

“We at SBS Swiss Business School strive to redefine business education through AI-driven learning, equipping future leaders with the skills, mindset, and ethical foundation to navigate and shape the evolving world of business. Through a commitment to intelligent innovation, we create transformative learning experiences that prepare professionals to create meaningful impact in an ever-evolving global economy” May 2025

Mission

“Through a blend of practical studies and applied research via on-campus, hybrid, or online modalities, using an andragogical learning philosophy, our mission is to prepare students in tertiary-level programs and continuing education to carry out professional management and leadership activities in an international environment, while furthering applied research and services for the academic field of business administration for the regional, national and global business communities.” May 2025

The quality assurance strategy guides the activities in implementing the vision and mission.

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Context and Legal Requirements

SBS is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and operates internationally, providing teaching, research, and services. The Quality of assurance strategy is to secure compliance and the organization’s continuous improvement.

Switzerland is a European Higher Education Area member and subscribed to the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG, 2015).

SBS complies with the requirements as described in the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG, 2015) as specified by the Swiss Accreditation Council in accordance with the Higher Education Act (HEdA).

In addition, SBS aims to comply with European and International Quality standards through a rigorous internal review process and a series of external reviews with accreditation bodies based in Switzerland, Great Britain, and the United States of America.

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Goals of Quality Assurance

The main goals for Quality Assurance derive from the SBS Strategic Plan 2025-2029.
Key Success Factors (KSF) and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are described there.

The five main categories are:

  1. Academic excellence and reputation – KSF
  2. Industry and employer recognition – KSF
  3. International and global impact - KSF
  4. Research and thought leadership – KSF
  5. Swiss Regulatory requirements – KSF 

Each KSF has defined KPIs, including those from program accreditation, focused on outcome-based goals and measures for educational programs.

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Approach to Quality Assurance and Culture

The quality assurance and culture approach comprises stakeholder integration, continuous improvement, and outcome-based measurement.

The relevant stakeholder groups are the students, the faculty and staff, alumni, the business community, and the owners. They are represented in Boards and actively engage in the governance and quality assurance of the organization.

The continuous improvement process is modeled on the classic Deming PDSA quality cycle (W. Edwards Deming link Oct. 10, 2020). SBS`s Plan-Do-Study-Adapt, adapt instead of act, indicates a contemporary agile management approach that builds stakeholder trust.

SBS has an outcome-oriented, integrated Institutional and Academic Performance Management System. On the program level, qualitative and quantitative data for formative and summative assessments are gathered, analyzed, and used for improvements.

References

  • Deming, W. Edwards (2020) PDSA Cycle. Oct.10.

  • SBS Institutional and Corporate Governance Framework. SBS Internal Document; Zurich.

  • SBS Strategic Plan 2023-2025 (May 30th, 2023). SBS Internal Document; Zurich.

  • Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG). (2015). Brussels, Belgium.