Status International Management Institute (IMI)

NVAO has recently received an enormous amount of queries concerning the International Management Institute (IMI) based in Belgium. Regarding the status of IMI Belgium, NVAO would like to say the following:

This institution is not a recognised higher education institution, neither in the Dutch nor in the French speaking part of Belgium. Since it is not recognised, it cannot award recognised degrees. Graduates of this institution cannot claim a higher education title (e.g. Master). Using higher education titles without holding a legitimate degree is illegal.
According to the Belgian Constitution, anyone can establish an institution and offer education. But to be a higher education institution and to award degrees, you need to be recognised by the competent authorities. The Flemish higher education system is open to all types of institutions. An institution that considers itself a higher education institution can ask to be recognised as such. To be recognised, the institution's programmes need to receive initial accreditation and the institution needs to be registered.
All the recognised higher education institutions and all the recognised higher education programmers are included in the Higher Education Register. Information about the higher education system in Flanders you also can find on this website.