EQUAA - Education Quality Accreditation Agency

What EQUAA - Education Quality Accreditation Agency does

EQUAA — Education Quality Accreditation Agency — is a civil law non-profit association organized as a non-governmental organization headquartered in Lima, Peru, operating as an international accreditor focused on Business education with particular interest in Latin America. The organization evaluates and accredits programs, schools, institutes, careers, faculties, universities, and other educational units that meet its quality standards. EQUAA extends its offering through related programs including EQUAA Awards (Innovation and Internationalization categories), an International Internship Program for student exchanges across Latin America, and an International Peer Review Team (PRT) of expert reviewers. Governance is structured through an annual General Assembly (the highest body) and four executive committees — the Membership Evaluation Committee (MEC), Ethical Committee for Social Inclusion (CEIS), Accreditation Eligibility Committee (CEA), and Continuous Improvement Policy Committee (CPMC).

The business model is membership-driven, with educational institutions paying recurring membership fees to access accreditation services, peer review evaluations, and participation in the broader EQUAA community. EQUAA runs a community-led go-to-market, combining direct institutional engagement, annual International Accreditation Forums, and a network of member institutions and peer reviewers. Distribution is supported by representation offices in five countries — Colombia (Bogotá), Ecuador (Guayaquil), Chile (Santiago), and Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) — alongside the Lima executive headquarters. Named member institutions visible on the company's site include FGV (Fundação Getúlio Vargas), Universidad EAN, UCEVA, and Universidad del Rosario.

The core technology stack is not disclosed in available sources; there is no API, no proprietary software platform described, and no digital product beyond the public website and content/event infrastructure. Operations rely on human expert review processes through committees and the Peer Review Team rather than automated systems. Leadership is led by Executive Director Eric Talavera Campbell, with the General Assembly drawing senior academic figures such as Ann Olazábal (Vice Dean, Undergraduate Business Education) and Antonio Freitas (Pro-rector at FGV). No external parent company, funding rounds, or equity ownership is disclosed.

Name

EQUAA - Education Quality Accreditation Agency

Legal name

EQUAA (Education Quality Accreditation Agency)

Website

https://equaa.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EQUAA is a Lima-based non-governmental, non-profit accreditation agency that evaluates and certifies quality standards for higher education institutions focused on Business education across Latin America. It operates a membership model, annual international forums, and representation offices in five Latin American countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Accreditation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADACAI

Accreditation Evaluation, Peer Review & Site-Visit Organizations

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Accreditation Bodies (Institutional & Programmatic)

SECONDARYEDADACAG

International/Transnational Accreditation & Recognition Bodies

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Accreditation Bodies (Institutional & Programmatic)

SECONDARYEDADACAB

National/Institutional Accreditors (Career, Faith-Based, Distance, etc.)

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Accreditation Bodies (Institutional & Programmatic)

SECONDARYEDADAGAA

Institutional & Programmatic Accreditation Audits

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Quality Assurance, Compliance & Audit

Keywords

• Education accreditation services
• Higher education quality assurance
• Business school accreditation
• Peer review evaluation
• Institutional certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lima

HQ country

Peru

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Revenue generated from membership fees paid by educational institutions seeking accreditation and quality certification.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

EQUAA provides international accreditation services for higher education institutions in Latin America, with a particular focus on Business education. It evaluates programs, schools, institutes, careers, faculties, and universities against quality standards established by the association, and supports them through a membership model, peer review evaluations, and continuous improvement programs. Complementary offerings include the EQUAA Awards recognizing good practices in higher education and an International Internship Program for students.

Product overview

EQUAA is a civil law non-profit association in the form of a non-governmental organization that serves as an international accreditor in education focused on Business with particular interest in Latin America. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of services including the EQUAA Accreditation Model for evaluating educational institutions, EQUAA Awards recognizing excellence in higher education, an International Internship Program, and peer review services. The organization operates through several executive committees including the Membership Evaluation Committee, Ethical Committee for Social Inclusion, Accreditation Eligibility Committee, and Continuous Improvement Policy Committee. EQUAA's mission is to elevate the academic quality of programs, schools, institutes, careers, faculties, universities, and other educational units in Latin America and the world.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EQUAA Awards: International awards recognizing good practices in higher education including Innovation and Internationalization awards
• International Peer Review Team (PRT)
• International Internship Program

Products and services

• EQUAA Accreditation Model International accreditation system for educational institutions in Latin America, evaluating programs, schools, institutes, careers, faculties, and universities against quality standards established by EQUAA, focused on Business education.
• EQUAA Awards International awards recognizing good practices in higher education, including Innovation and Internationalization awards, open to higher education institutions.
• International Internship Program Exchange program for students aimed at promoting pre-professional and professional practices in Latin American countries.
• International Peer Review Team (PRT) Services Peer review evaluation services conducted by international peer reviewers participating in the accreditation review process for educational institutions seeking EQUAA accreditation.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EQUAA General Assembly MemberscoreOthersThe General Assembly is the highest body of the association, made up of eligible members represented by their highest authority or designated representatives. General Assemblies are held annually during the International Accreditation Forums.
• Peer Review Team (PRT)coreOthersInternational Peer Review Team composed of experts who conduct peer review evaluations for institutions seeking EQUAA accreditation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• EFMD (EQUIS): European-based EQUIS accreditation is one of the three leading global seals for business schools. Directly comparable to EQUAA in that both run rigorous international peer-review-based accreditation processes targeting business schools, though EFMD's footprint is global rather than Latin America-focused.
• AACSB International: Global accreditor for business schools offering AACSB accreditation — the most widely recognized business school seal worldwide. Directly comparable to EQUAA because both accredit business schools against quality standards, even though AACSB operates at a much larger global scale.
• Association of MBAs (AMBA): UK-based AMBA accredits MBA, DBA, and MBM programs globally through peer review. Directly comparable to EQUAA as a specialized business-program accreditation body competing for the same institutional customers, though with global rather than regional reach.
• ACBSP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs): US-based specialized accreditor for business schools and programs globally. Directly comparable to EQUAA because both accredit business-focused higher education institutions against quality standards and compete for the same institutional customers seeking specialized business accreditation.

Broad incumbents

• ENQA (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education): European umbrella organization for higher-education quality assurance agencies. Comparable to EQUAA in setting quality-assurance frameworks, but functions as a meta-organization representing European QA agencies rather than directly accrediting business schools.
• WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC): US-based regional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Comparable to EQUAA in conducting institutional and programmatic accreditation via peer review, but is a larger, broader, and US-focused incumbent rather than a Latin American specialist.
• CHEA (Council for Higher Education Accreditation): US-based coordinating body that recognizes and oversees specialized accrediting organizations. Comparable to EQUAA as an accreditation-system authority, though CHEA is a recognition/coordinating body rather than a direct accreditor of business schools.

Regional players

• CONEAU (Comisión Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria, Argentina): Argentina's national higher-education accreditation body evaluates and accredits university programs within Argentina. Comparable to EQUAA as a Latin American accreditation authority, but operates as a government agency within a single country rather than a regional NGO.
• SINAES (Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior, Costa Rica): Costa Rica's higher-education accreditation system evaluating quality of institutions and programs. Comparable to EQUAA as a Latin American accreditation framework, though operates under a national governmental model rather than EQUAA's NGO model.
• CNA (Consejo Nacional de Acreditación, Colombia): Colombia's national higher-education accreditation body responsible for evaluating quality of academic programs. Comparable to EQUAA as a Latin American quality-assurance organization, though CNA operates as a government entity covering all disciplines rather than business specifically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EQUAAc
• Instagraminstagram.com/equaa_c
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equaa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EQUAA - Education Quality Accreditation Agency