N E W ! EFE Foundation and Assessor Online Trainings

Starting in April 2026, we will conduct the very first Excellence Framework Europe Foundation and Assessor Trainings in English and also in German. These trainings are conducted in cooperation with ESPRIX Excellence Suisse / EFE. The Excellence Framework Europe (EFE) was developed by the three organizations: ESPRIX Excellence Suisse, Initiative Ludwig Erhard Prize, Germany and the Austrian Foundation for Quality Management, Austria. These three organizations are from the three countries of Switzerland, Germany and Austria, which are known worldwide for excellent products and services.
Why a new Excellence Model at all? The new Excellence Framework Europe (EFE) has been developed to support organizations in Europe with the growing challenges. Excellent organizations strive for continuous improvement and want to hold their own in global competition. EFE helps to determine the maturity level of organizations and to recognize their strengths and development potential. EFE is based on European values and offers easy access to concepts of excellence.
The framework is flexible and can be adapted to the specific needs of each organization. It does not require a fixed management model, however, encourages the combination of the best methods and tools. Whether ISO 9001, ISO 9004, Lean Management or the St. Gallen Management Model (SGMM) – the goal is the continuous development of the organizations. The EFE is based on a consolidation matrix that integrates all relevant management approaches (including ISO 9001, ISO 9004, EFQM, CAF, UnternehmerEnergie, St. Gallen Management Model (SGMM), MBNQA, Economy for the Common Good, ESG, CSR, GRI and SDG).
The first users have already rated the EFE very positively. EFE is easy to use and can clearly show the maturity level of an organization. Due to the strong support for European values and the strong employee involvement during EFE Self-Assessments, the model will also have a very strong, positive influence on the development of a lived excellence culture. This distinguishes EFE significantly from other Excellence models, where the focus is on the submission of certificates or recognition stars.

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Through the EFQM European Assessor Training at ITQM I learned about an excellent method for not only talking about Excellence, but also doing it.
Dr. Stephan Ralf Abdulrahman Vogel, Quality Coordinator, Centre for R&D, SAUDI ARAMCO , Dhahran, KSA
I learned not only about the EFQM Model and the best practice standards, I also learned a lot from the practical examples of the trainer. He enriched the training with his vast experience in Business Excellence.
Dr. Sharifa Al Balushi, Head of Quality Assurance, Ministry of Higher Education, Muscat, OM
The workshop conducted by Dr. Koller gave me many new ideas for quality improvement within the university and showed me the way to Excellence.
Prof. Dr. Tönis Karkj, Vice Dean in Academic Affairs, Member of the Assessment Council, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia