Accreditation · Principles

Five principles. Verifiable criteria. Explicit revocation.

None of the principles is decorative. Each is supported by four concrete criteria that reviewers can score, alumni can verify and peers can challenge — and by the conditions under which the seal is withdrawn.

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The principles

What we measure, and what would revoke the seal.

Pedagogical rigor

The curriculum is grounded in established entrepreneurship frameworks; faculty combine academic credentials and operational experience.

Verifiable criteria

Documented learning outcomes per course, mapped to a recognised framework (lean, design thinking, RBV, effectuation…).
At least 40% of core faculty have founded, scaled or invested in real ventures (verified CVs).
Independent peer review of the curriculum every three years, with a publishable report.
A continuous-improvement cycle visible to students: annual quality review, alumni feedback loop.

Revocation

Missed peer review or faculty ratio below threshold for two consecutive years.

Practical immersion

A substantial real-world component: clinics, internships, accelerators, founder-in-residence programmes.

Verifiable criteria

At least 25% of programme hours dedicated to applied work with real clients or ventures.
Active relationships with at least five ecosystem operators (incubators, funds, corporates, NGOs).
A documented, active founder- or executive-in-residence programme.
A student-led venture clinic with measurable advice volume per semester.

Revocation

Applied-hours share or operator relationships fall below threshold at the annual check.

Ecosystem integration

Formal partnerships with regional incubators, funders and corporates; students embedded in the ecosystem from day one.

Verifiable criteria

Formal MoUs with at least three categories of ecosystem actors (public, private, social).
At least one documented ecosystem-immersion week per academic year.
Ongoing student or alumni representation on ecosystem governance bodies.
Pull-through metric: share of alumni still active in the local ecosystem three years after graduation.

Revocation

MoUs lapse or the immersion week is not documented for one year.

Diversity & inclusion

Documented outreach and admission policies that reach beyond top-tier urban demographics.

Verifiable criteria

Published admissions policy with explicit equity targets (region, gender, socio-economic background).
Bridge programmes or scholarships covering at least 15% of the admitted cohort.
Anonymised cohort composition data available to OSE reviewers.
Annual review of inclusion outcomes with an action plan for the following year.

Revocation

Cohort data not provided, or scholarship share below threshold for two years.

Outcome tracking

Longitudinal alumni tracking: ventures created, jobs generated, capital raised, social impact.

Verifiable criteria

Alumni database actively maintained for at least five years after graduation.
Publicly reported metrics: ventures launched, employment, fundraising totals, regional distribution.
A documented and applied method for survivorship bias.
Comparison against a control or peer benchmark at least every two years.

Revocation

Public metrics not published for one cycle, or benchmark comparison missed twice.

Why revocable

A quality signal only works if it can be lost.

This is the COTEE lesson applied to education: support only pays where rules are enforced (necessity 0.854 on the OSE base). An accreditation that is never withdrawn is a badge, not a rule. OSE accreditation is re-measured every year on observable criteria, and it can be revoked.

Measured, not declared

Every criterion is verifiable — documents, ratios, public metrics — and reviewed by people outside the school. The same rule we apply to the 14 indicators of the observatory.

Re-measured every year

Outcomes are tracked longitudinally against a peer cohort. Programmes are read as trajectories, not snapshots.

Withdrawn when thresholds fail

Each principle has explicit revocation conditions. Withdrawal is public — that is what makes the seal credible to funders, families and employers.

Read the five principles and their revocation conditions on the principles page.

The cycle

Application, review, decision, annual re-measurement.

1
Application
Self-assessment on the digital workbook against the five principles (about six weeks).
2
Review
Two-day on-site or remote review with peer reviewers; faculty, student and partner interviews.
3
Decision
An independent panel scores each principle; decision within 30 days; criteria and scores are shared with the school.
4
Annual re-measurement
Public metrics re-checked every year; full re-accreditation every three years. The seal can be withdrawn.

Next step

Ready to apply?

Tell us about your programme — we send the digital self-assessment workbook within 48 hours.

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Five principles. Verifiable criteria. Explicit revocation.

What we measure, and what would revoke the seal.

Pedagogical rigor

Practical immersion

Ecosystem integration

Diversity & inclusion

Outcome tracking

A quality signal only works if it can be lost.

Measured, not declared

Re-measured every year

Withdrawn when thresholds fail

Application, review, decision, annual re-measurement.

Application

Review

Decision

Annual re-measurement

Ready to apply?

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One mission, three levers: build the science and practice of entrepreneurial ecosystems in Africa.