[2] Europe's largest network association in the field of management development,[3] it has over 890 member organizations from academia, business, public service and consultancy in 88 countries (as of September 2017).

It is comparable to its American equivalent Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and provides a forum for information, research, networking and debate on innovation and best practice in management development.

EFMD is the European partner in the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), a joint venture with Shanghai Jiaotong University established as the first international business school in China with autonomous status in 1994, under an agreement between the European Commission and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

[8] EFMD is also founding partner of the Global Foundation for Management Education (GFME), which is a joint venture with the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

In 2009, EFMD received an EU grant worth €2.2m[10] for a project that aims to improve the efficiency of Cuban companies by providing training to senior managers.