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Frequently asked questions
Your PIR Questions Answered
This section is designed to provide quick and helpful responses to the most frequent inquiries from our users. You can navigate through the FAQs by scrolling the page or by searching for the answer you need within the clickable categories. If you don't find the answer to your question, feel free to email us at info@positiveimpactrating.org. We're here to help!
ABOUT THE PIR
What is the PIR?
The Positive Impact Rating (PIR) is the only student-based rating or ranking measuring the positive impact of business schools. Starting with the 2025 edition of the PIR a faculty survey is being tentatively added to the PIR, covering mostly the same questions as the student survey. The consequences of this second survey are not fully reflected yet in these FAQs. (see more here)
The PIR aims to change the thrust of existing rankings from leading schools to be the best in the world to be the best for the world. It was collaboratively developed and tested by an international task force of business school experts together with representatives from societal stakeholders between 2017 and 2019. Its first edition was released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos in January 2020.
What is the purpose of the PIR?
The purpose of the PIR is to measure how business schools create societal impact by energizing the school and its culture; by educating responsible leaders through adequate programs, learning methods and student support; by enabling business and other societal actors through research, and by engaging publicly and being a role model institution.
What is the value proposition of the PIR?
Traditional rankings serve a single purpose, to measure and rank business schools against each other. The PIR is designed to provide a dual value proposition. It rates business schools, thereby assigning the schools to five different levels. And the PIR also serves as a tool for continuous societal impact measurement and improvement. This second purpose is of growing interest for business schools as it allows them to meet the new impact-related requirements of accreditations and other stakeholders.
By evaluating business schools on their positive impact and by highlighting progressive players and relevant innovations, the PIR supports a transformation of the business school sector towards societal impact and purpose orientation. It is aligned with the Global Agenda of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and offers a basis for measuring the positive impact of a transformed management education for the world. Also, by providing students and school management with easy access to their data through a dashboard, they are empowered to support the purpose orientation of their schools.
The PIR allows students to find a business school that prepares them as global change makers in the 21st century and equips them with the required competences. It allows participating schools to use the survey results and their data as a tool for external benchmarking and internal development. It allows business and other organizations to evaluate the schools and their graduates based on their performance and ambitions to have a positive impact on society and the world. And it allows business and civil society actors to find business schools as like-minded partners for their own positive impact strategies and actions.
DATA COLLECTION
How is the data collected?
The surveys run online between October and April with questions and explanations provided in English, French and Spanish. Local student organizations distribute the survey to fellow students from Bachelor, Master and MBA programs. They are supported in this by school representatives and by the PIR student coordinator. The local student organizations and the school representatives have access to their school specific dashboard, which they use to monitor the number of student responses. They need to reach a minimum number of 100 responses.
How are the business schools rated?
The students are asked to answer 20 questions measuring the positive societal impact of their school. They are distributed across three areas and seven dimensions. For all questions the same rating scale is used. It ranges from 1 ("I don't agree") to 10 ("I completely agree"). A 0 option ("I am not sure") is provided for every question, ensuring that students have the chance to opt out. The overall PIR scores of a school are calculated by using the means of all individual responses to a question, a dimension, or an area. In cases where a 0 option is chosen by a student, special precautions are taken to ensure data consistency.
How are the levels defined?
The overall PIR score of the business school is used to position the school on one of five levels (quintiles). The levels are defined using a decreasing size of a level on the 10-point scale, to express an increasing challenge to reach higher levels. The end point for level 1 was chosen by using the lowest score achieved by a school. The characterizations of the different levels refer to the developmental stages of the business schools pursuing a positive societal impact.
Why is the PIR “perception based” rather than “fact based”?
The PIR has been designed as perception based, using subjective assessments by students, not as facts based. Why do we use perceptions? Perceptions provide insights into qualitative assessments of reality as perceived by relevant actor. By collecting perceptions of students about their own school, these perceptions can be seen as highly relevant for the school and for (actual and future) students: Perceptions define reality for the actors and guide their actions. For them perceptions are usually more relevant than “facts”.
Moreover, perceptions reach beyond the present and provide foresight into the expected future, which is difficult to achieve through the collection of facts. Facts typically will not take into account different societal and cultural conditions and needs. The PIR deliberately provides an alternative perspective to traditional rankings which mostly rely on facts.
What are the methodological limitations?
A limitation of the PIR survey lies in the high correlations between the survey questions in the seven dimensions, leading up to the three assessment areas. On the one hand, a high correlation confirms the solidity of the model and how tightly the questions cover the one thing we want to measure, namely the positive impact contribution of business schools. On the other hand, a high correlation between the PIR dimensions and areas suggests opportunities of removing redundancies among the questions.
Data experts have reviewed the pros and cons and have adopted the position that the survey methodology was specifically designed to respond to the expectations of the expert panel that created the methodology and the multi-stakeholder panel that finally decided on its structure and elements. Its purpose is not only to assess the positive impact of business schools but also to provide them with practical guidance on how to report on their activities and what to do to improve its positive impact. Fewer questions leading to fewer dimensions may improve the stringency of the survey, but it would at the same time reduce the value of the results as a management tool for transforming business schools.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Individualization of the PIR survey through specific add-on features
In order to provide additional value to the participating schools the PIR offers different add-ons to use the student survey results for purposes related to AACSB, PRME, and to school specific purposes. The first optional add-on costs €280. Each further option costs another €200, if the schools opt in for them as a package. A new EQUIS-related add-on is being used tentatively with the 2025 edition.
What is the 'AACSB compatible questions' add-on?
The ‘AACSB compatible questions’ add-on is a set of four pre-defined questions (three Likert scale and one open-ended question) designed to provide additional evidence for the school’s efforts in creating positive societal impact as demanded by AACSB Standard 9: “Engagement and Societal Impact”. The school provides the chosen focal area and receives the aggregated student results to document their student perceptions and assessments. This way the PIR provides an opportunity to align PIR assessments with the expectations set forth in the AACSB Business Accreditation Standards. This can be done by schools that are already AACSB accredited and by schools that are working towards initial accreditation.
What is the “PRME-compatible questions” add-on?
The PRME-compatible add-on can be chosen by the school and does not need a particular school input. As a part of the PIR results assessment, seven matching PIR questions are being used to provide school compliance scores with the newly defined PRME Principles, as perceived by the school’s own students.
What is the “school-specific questions” add-on?
This add-on enables a school to get closer to the students and uncover greater insights into the outcomes and positive impacts as perceived by their own students. The open add-on questions allow schools to formulate four questions specific to their institution’s positive impact and uncover student opinions and ratings.
What is the “EQUIS-compatible questions” add-on?
The ‘EQUIS-compatible questions’ add-on is being used tentatively as part of the 2025 PIR edition and does not need a particular school input. As a part of the PIR results assessment, matching PIR questions are being used to provide school compliance scores with the relevant EQUIS demands related to EQUIS Chapter 9 on “Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability” (ERS), as perceived by the school’s own students.
WHY IS PIR A RATING?
Why is the PIR structured as a rating and not as a ranking?
A rating categorizes schools into different, but similar groups, while a ranking positions business schools individually in a highly differentiated league table. Rankings are being criticized increasingly for creating differences between schools which are often not practically meaningful. And they pit schools against each other, in a field where competition is less relevant than in business. Also, ranking management has become an important new discipline for business schools, diverting attention and resources away from other, often more important tasks.
Cooperative and collective activities, however, should not be discouraged through rankings, but they should be supported. The PIR reduces the potential for competitiveness by grouping the schools in 5 different levels ("quintiles") according to their overall scores. Only the schools rated in the three highest levels are publicly reported. In addition, the schools are listed alphabetically in these levels, not by their individual position.A rating categorizes schools into different, but similar groups, while a ranking positions business schools individually in a highly differentiated league table. Rankings are being criticized increasingly for creating differences between schools which are often not practically meaningful. And they pit schools against each other, in a field where competition is less relevant than in business. Also, ranking management has become an important new discipline for business schools, diverting attention and resources away from other, often more important tasks.
Cooperative and collective activities, however, should not be discouraged through rankings, but they should be supported. The PIR reduces the potential for competitiveness by grouping the schools in 5 different levels ("quintiles") according to their overall scores. Only the schools rated in the three highest levels are publicly reported. In addition, the schools are listed alphabetically in these levels, not by their individual position.
Why does the PIR classify schools on an absolute scale and not on a relative scale?
Most rankings define their scales in a relative way, by using the best performing school for the upper end of the scale and the poorest performing school for the lower end. Then all other schools are positioned between these two ends. This way the performance is measured relative to all other participating schools. When the field of participating schools changes the scale changes as well. And, more importantly, it measures the performance of the schools relative to the existing level of impact.
The PIR, however, measures and classifies business schools on an absolute scale, which is independent of the schools participating in the rating. And it measures their performance against a required level of impact, as expressed by the expectations of their students. It thereby highlights the potential for improvement, even for leading schools.
WHO RATES THE BUSINESS SCHOOLS?
Why do students rate the schools?
The PIR is primarily based on an assessment done by (undergraduate, graduate and MBA) students who assess their own school, a place which they know very well, and which is close to their hearts and minds. Students are "a", if not "the" main stakeholders of business schools. Their evaluations are highly relevant for the school. The collection of data is organized through student associations at their own school, usually supported by school representatives. They take responsibility for assessing the positive impact of their own schools and get access to the data collected through an online dashboard. The PIR thereby serves also as a tool for empowering students to engage in using and communicating the data at their schools and beyond.
How do students rate their school?
Student associations are responsible for the coordination and communication of the PIR survey in their school. They engage with fellow students to anonymously complete the survey. The business school leadership commits in writing to support the students, if necessary, but also to respect the integrity of the student voice at their school.
Each student association is provided with a unique PIR dashboard and link to their survey, which includes 20 questions related to the three areas and seven dimensions of the PIR. In each of the dimensions, students are asked to assess their school's current state to create a positive impact. Two open-ended questions ask students what their schools should stop and start doing to improve their positive societal impact. They are perceived as particularly useful by the schools!
As long as the survey is open, only the number of collected student responses can be seen. When the survey results have been publicly launched, students and school representatives get access to all results from the current year, but also from previous years.
Why is a faculty survey being added?
As of the 2025 edition a second faculty survey is being tentatively added to the yearly PIR survey. It includes 22 questions overall, with 4 new questions being added, mainly in the research domain. 18 questions are overlapping with the student survey. This allows to calculate specific faculty scores, but it allows as well to triangulate the faculty results with the student results. This should provide new insights into the perception of the school’s positive impact, coming from two different perspectives.
WHAT IS POSITIVE IMPACT?
How is positive impact measured?
The PIR is based on a clear conceptual model of the Positive Impact of business schools as originally developed by the 50+20 vision. It looks at the whole school in all of its key areas and dimensions. The model distinguishes between 3 areas and 7 dimensions and is operationalized through 20 questions:
Area 1: Energizing - comprised of the 2 dimensions Governance and Culture. It enables and energizes business schools to effectively go for - and eventually create - positive impact.
Area 2: Educating - comprised of the 3 dimensions Programs, Learning Methods, and Student Support. It refers to a core function of business school impact: preparing students to become responsible future leaders in business and society.
Area 3: Engaging - comprised of the 2 dimensions Institution as a Role Model and Public Engagement. It refers to the need for business schools to earn the trust by students and society but also to engage as respected public citizens.
With the addition of a faculty survey, a fourth area - namely Enabling – is being added to the model, together with an 8. dimension – research.
What changes have been made in the survey?
The survey experts meet at times to review the survey and decide on required changes. Two small changes were made in 2020 in the area of "Educating". One was a slight rephrasing of question in the "Learning Methods" dimension to improve its understanding. The other was a change and renaming of the former "Student Engagement" dimension to become "Student Support", hence measuring the activities of the school, rather than the engagement of its students. For the 2025 edition a new question was added in the Governance domain related to a school structure for taking care of actual controversies around societal challenges.
PARTICIPATING IN THE PIR
What is required from the schools to participate in the PIR?
For participation in the PIR the school administration has to formally sign-up. They have to pay a yearly participation fee of €1,600 and ensure a committed student organization for independent coordination of the data collection and name a school representative as main contact for the PIR. The school administration has to formally agree to follow the PIR principles and respect the integrity of the student voice.
How is the PIR organized?
The PIR is formally organized as an independent not-for-profit association under Swiss law. The fee is used exclusively to cover the costs of operating the PIR. Also, the PIR Association aims to be as inclusive as possible for schools from all countries, including developing economies. To make this possible, the PIR offers reduced rates for schools coming from developing economies.
When should a school sign up for the PIR?
Business Schools wishing to participate in the PIR rating can register as of September. They have to decide on the add-ons they are interested in and pay their fees to get access to the survey. Data collection is open until March of the following year. Data collection has to be planned and organized in time to collect the required 100 responses from student participants. For this a collaboration between the student organization and the school representative has shown to be very helpful.
PIR RESULTS LAUNCH
When will a school receive its PIR results?
After the data collection period ends in March, the PIR starts its verifying and analyzing process, to rate the participating schools and write the annual Report. Usually, that takes about two months. The final results are shared with the schools under embargo latest one week before the official announcement of the results and the annual PIR Report launch in June as part of the PRME Global Forum.
How does the PIR assure the necessary quality and reliability of the rating results?
First-time participant schools automatically undergo a screening process to ensure the PIR survey results reflect the high quality standards applied by the PIR. Once the school has met the minimal requirements with regards to student responses submitted, each school is assessed regarding the degree of sustainability integration as can be perceived from the outside. In particular the PIR looks at three different areas:
a) School actions: sustainability in programs offered, centers with a positive impact focus, school policies addressing positive impact
b) Relevant memberships and accreditations: memberships and reporting, accreditations, rankings/ratings, certifications
c) as a verification of the solidity of the results, also cross-school comparisons of the occurrence and accordance of student comments in two open questions of the survey are performed.
This leads to a summary evaluation and a recommendation for adjustments in the school rating. The school receives suggestions for improvements.
What happens if a school gets rated low by the students?
The PIR welcomes all business schools around the world to take part in its annual rating. As it may take a bit of courage to let students assess one’s school, the principle of not featuring Level 1 and Level 2 schools in the report, provides a welcome safe space for first-time participating schools. There is no risk of being shamed or blamed. Schools can always inquire about any specific questions or concerns they may have. And there is a great upside for schools letting their students assess the positive impact, as they will learn a lot from their experiences and insights.