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GLOBAL PANEL FORMED TO CHART THE FUTURE COURSE OF MANAGMENT EDUCATION

Tampa, FL, USA (November 8, 2010) - In the increasingly dynamic and complex environment of business, management education is being challenged to keep pace. It is a time when the repercussions of the financial crisis are prevalent, while the globalization of business, advancements in technology, and the quest for innovation and sustainability are driving change in business schools.

With this, AACSB International announced today the formation of a new Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation Quality (BRC). This global committee of business and business school experts will evaluate the state of readiness of AACSB's accreditation standards and processes to ensure the alignment of business practice and management education. The committee also will set appropriate expectations for quality and continuous improvement which business schools must continue to demonstrate in the future.

"It is imperative that business schools prepare students for both the challenges and opportunities in the world of business," said Andrew J. Policano, Dean of The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AACSB International. "The establishment of the Blue Ribbon Committee will allow AACSB and leaders of business schools worldwide to thoroughly review the global environment of business, and make certain accreditation standards and processes effectively align with the many factors impacting businesses today and in the future."

The BRC will perform a comprehensive review of the AACSB accreditation standards, eligibility criteria, and the accreditation process. Members of the committee represent a cross section of the AACSB membership; including accredited schools, schools in the accreditation process, and representation from non-education institutional members.

The committee is being co-chaired by Thierry Grange, Dean and Director General of Grenoble Ecole de Management (France) and Richard E. Sorensen, Dean of the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech (USA).

"As AACSB works to address the rising global demand for accreditation, it is important for us to consider diverse models of education while encouraging innovation," said John J. Fernandes, President and Chief Executive Officer of AACSB International. "With the forces impacting businesses worldwide, it is the responsibility of AACSB to evaluate accreditation standards and processes to ensure business schools maintain their relevance and value to businesses--locally, regionally and globally."

The members of the Blue Ribbon Committee on Accreditation Quality are:

Co-Chairs
      ·   Thierry Grange, Dean and Director General, Grenoble Ecole de Management (France)
      ·   Richard E. Sorensen, Dean, Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech (USA)

Committee
      ·   Tim Brailsford, Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland (Australia)
      ·   Joseph DiAngelo, Dean, Erivan K. Haub School of Business, St. Joseph's University (USA)
      ·   Kjell Knudsen, Dean, Labovitz School of Business and Economics, University of Minnesota Duluth (USA)
      ·   John Kraft, Dean, Warrington College of Business Administration, University of Florida (USA)
      ·   George Krull, National Director (retired), Grant Thornton LLP (USA)
      ·   Linda Livingstone, Dean and Professor of Management, Graziadio School of Business and Management, Pepperdine University (USA)
      ·   Peter Lorange, Chairman, President and CEO, Lorange Institute of Business Zurich (Switzerland)
      ·   Michael Page, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bentley University (USA)
      ·   Marcelo Paladino, Dean, IAE Business School (Argentina)
      ·   Michel Patry, Director, HEC Montreal (France)
      ·   Andrew Policano, Dean, The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine and Chair, Board of Directors, AACSB International (USA)
      ·   Yingyi Qian, Dean and Professor, School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University (China)
      ·   Ajit Rangnekar, Dean, Indian School of Business (India)
      ·   Mark Rice, Dean, School of Business, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA)
      ·   Denise Smart, Dean, Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business Administration, Texas State University-San Marcos (USA)
      ·   Jan Williams, Dean, College of Business Administration, University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Vice Chair-Chair Elect, AACSB International (USA)
      ·   John Williams, Dean, Division of Business Administration and Economics, Morehouse College (USA)
    ·   Carolyn Woo, Dean and Martin J. Gillen Dean and Ray and Milann Siegfried Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies, University of Notre Dame (USA)

Ex-Officio
      ·   John Fernandes, President and Chief Executive Officer, AACSB International (USA)
      ·   Jerry Trapnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Accreditation Officer, AACSB International (USA)