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International Accreditation Institutions - AACSB International, USA

AACSB International based in Tampa USA is the oldest and most respected international accreditation started way back in 1919. It was actually founded in 1916 and began its accreditation function three years later with the adoption of the first standards.Additional standards for programs in accountancy were adopted in 1980. AACSB International members approved mission-linked accreditation standards and the peer review process in 1991. In 2003, members approved a revised set of standards that are relevant and applicable to all business programs globally and which support and encourage excellence in management education worldwide. Early 2010 AACSB International revised its accreditation process further and it has currently initiated a process to further revamp its accreditation offering. The strength of AACSB International is its adaptability to changing times and its ability to come up with matching standards and metrics to guage the quality of B-schools. The accreditation is for institutions.

As of December 2010, 607 member institutions hold AACSB Accreditation. Overall, 38 countries are represented by AACSB-accredited schools. Of the accredited schools:

• 50 institutions have undergraduate programs only (8% of accredited members)
• 28 institutions have master's and doctoral programs only (5% of accredited members)
• 175 institutions have AACSB’s additional accounting accreditation (28% of accredited members)

In India AACSB is working with over a dozen leading B-schools even though no B-school has been accredited yet in India.

THE ACCREDITATION PROCESS

Accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business promotes continuous quality improvement in management education. A collegiate institution offering degrees in business administration or accounting may volunteer for AACSB Accreditation review. As a first step, the institution applies for a decision on its eligibility for accreditation. The initial accreditation process includes a self-evaluation, as well as a peer review based on 20 standards outlined by the agency.

These standards are broadly classified under Strategic Management Standards, Participants Standards and Assurance of Learning standards. Having achieved AACSB Accreditation, an institution enters into a program of periodic reviews of strategic improvement progress to maintain its accreditation.

AACSB Accreditation process is systematic and it takes a lot of involved effort to comply with each and every standard of AACSB

How Does a School Become AACSB-Accredited?

According to the AACSB International first, a school must be a member of AACSB International and offer degree-granting programs in business or management. Next, a school may apply for AACSB accreditation. The school’s application is carefully reviewed to ensure it is eligible to pursue AACSB Accreditation. Once it is determined that a school has the potential to be accredited, it works with mentors, committees, and AACSB staff to develop a Standards Alignment Plan. Once a school follows through with its alignment plan and meets the AACSB standards, review committees and the AACSB Board of Directors decide whether or not a school should be accredited. In its entirety, the AACSB accreditation process is rigorous and requires a significant amount of work to achieve.

AACSB Accreditation Standards

AACSB Accreditation Process

Can a School Lose its AACSB Accreditation?

Yes. Schools that earn AACSB Accreditation for their business and/or accounting programs must maintain their accreditations every five years. This means that a school undergoes a thorough review that is strategic and focused on the delivery of high-quality education, continuous improvement, market relevance, and currency.

AACSB INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITED SCHOOLS