AACSB International Accreditation: An Overview

Eileen PeacockVice President AACSB Intl- Asia

AACSB InternationalMay 2010

The AACSB Mission

To advance quality management education worldwide through

accreditation and thought leadership.

AACSB’s Current Activities• Award winning BizEd magazine (6 times per

year)• BestBizSchools.com (searchable student web

site focused on AACSB accredited institutions)

• Asia office opened in June 2009 to serve the this important region (5,000+ business schools)

• Launched Asia version of Business School Questionnaire this year

AACSB’s Current Activities Cont’d

• Completing plan for activities related to doctoral faculty development worldwide

• Member survey completed to provide guidance and feedback for future activities

• Held 8 professional development programs in Asia

• Asia Task Force appointed to provide perspectives on how AACSB can better serve business schools in the region

AACSB’s Current Activities Cont’d • Launched in 2009 “AACSB Exchange,”

our social network through our “Members’ Only” portal

• Launching a “Best Practices” searchable database through DataDirect

• Supports largest database on business schools in the world via DataDirect

• Issued report on “Business Schools and Innovation” in April 2010

AACSB’s Current Activities Cont’d

• Report on globalization of business education to be issued later in 2010

• Annually deliver 11 conferences and 42 seminars internationally

• In 2009, launched a webinar series on accreditation topics to be expanded in 2010-11

AACSB’s Network• An international network of 1229 members

in 76 countries/territories

• 593 AACSB accredited institutions in 37 countries; accounting accreditation held by 173 institutions in 4 countries

• 190 institutions are formally seeking AACSB accreditation

• Over 400 volunteers annually assist AACSB in its peer review activities

The World of Management Education

RegionAACSB

MembersAACSB

Accredited

In AACSB Accred. Process

Estimated Schools w/ Business Programs

Africa 13 1 1 756

Asia 172 36 45 5,954

Europe 193 46 52 1,968

Latin America & Caribbean

58 10 11 1,970

Northern America

699 490 69 1,725

Oceania 33 10 12 99

Totals 1,168 593 190 12,472

Source: AACSB analysis, as of April 6, 2010

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Of approximately 12,000 institutions granting business degrees worldwide…

Global Accreditation Landscape

≈10% (1200+) are accredited by an organization operating on an international scale

≈6% have AACSB International, EQUIS and/or AMBA accreditation

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Source: AACSB analysis of publicly available data as of January 1, 2010.

Global Accreditation

503(70.4%)

AACSB (570)EQUIS

(122)

AMBA(160)

30(4.2%)

80(11.6%)

30(4.2%)

5 (.7%)

42(5.9%)

20(2.8%)

Source: AACSB analysis of publicly available data as of January 1, 2010.

Total = 713

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• Manages resources consistent with a clearly stated mission•Advances knowledge through faculty scholarship•Provides quality teaching and current, globally relevant curricula•Cultivates meaningful interaction between students and a qualified faculty•Produces graduates who have achieved specified learning goals•Makes a statement to external communities about your commitment to quality and continuous improvement

AACSB Accreditation Assures a Business School Program

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• Students

• Employers

• Deans and Faculty

• Partners

Important Stakeholders that Benefit From AACSB Accreditation

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The Value Proposition: Students and Employers

• AACSB accreditation provides quality assurance and distinction

• AACSB accreditation may allow students and employers to narrow their set of schools

• AACSB’s focus on excellence ensures high quality academic programs

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The Value Proposition: Deans and Faculty

• AACSB accreditation is important to employers and students

• AACSB accreditation supports excellence • AACSB accreditation validates the high

standards the business school imposes on itself

• Internal and external benefits are significant

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The Value Proposition: Partners

• AACSB accreditation provides quality assurance to other partners

• Provides a basis for incorporating quality assurance into agreements

• Enhances attractiveness of partners that hold AACSB accreditation

AACSB Member Benefits BizEd magazine – complimentary subscriptions Online Resource Centers Affinity Groups—connect with colleagues with

similar interest DataDirect – members only access to

subscriptions and custom reports Thought Leadership Reports Conferences and Seminars – members only

discounts eNEWSLINE Sponsorship/Exhibit Opportunities ME Jobs – special member rates Online Member Directory Accreditation Resources

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AACSB INTERNATIONAL

ACCREDITATION STANDARDS-

AN OVERVIEW

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AACSB International Standards- Eligibility Criteria

• Authority to grant degrees (undergraduate, masters, and/or doctorates)

• Continuing financial resources• Scope of accreditation• Diversity in perspectives and

participants• Expectations for ethical behavior• Programs have produced graduates for

at least two years

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Individual Faculty & Student Educational Responsibility

Participants

Student Admission &

Retention

Staff &Sufficiency & Student Support

Faculty Sufficiency & Qualifications Faculty

Mgmt & Support

Aggregate Faculty & Staff

Educational Responsibility

Mission Statement

Mission Appropriateness

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Student Mission

Continuous Improvement

Objectives Financial Strategies

Assurance of LearningManagement of Curricula

Learning

Goals

Educational Level

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AACSB Standards-Business

• Strategic Management (5 standards)

• Participants (9 standards)

• Assurance of Learning (7 standards)

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AACSB International Strategic Management Standards-Business

1 – Mission statement reflecting input of key stakeholders including faculty, employers, alumni, etc.

2 – Mission appropriateness and commitment to advance

knowledge in management education

3 – Student mission

4 – Continuous improvement objectives

5 – Financial strategies

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Accreditation Philosophy-Strategic Management

AACSB accreditation satisfies a moral dimension of management education through Strategic Management standards that focus on:

• A well articulated mission;• Effective use of resources to achieve the mission;• Constant focus on continuous quality improvement;

and• Advancement of knowledge in

management/accounting• Recognized importance of stakeholder input including

employers, alumni, etc.

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AACSB International Participant Standards-Business

6 – Student admissions consistent with mission

7 – Student retention policies consistent with mission

8 – Staff sufficiency-student support consistent with mission

9 – Faculty sufficiency and student/faculty interaction principles (participating and supporting faculty)

10- Faculty Qualifications (academically and professionally qualified)

11 –Faculty management and support

12 –Aggregate faculty and staff educational responsibilities

13 –Individual faculty educational responsibilities

14 –Student educational responsibilities

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Philosophy of AACSB International Accreditation

AACSB accreditation ensures the quality of the educational dimension of business schools through Participant Standards that:

• Require appropriate actions and interactions between faculty, students, administrators, and staff;

• Insure use of sufficient, qualified, and engaged faculty resources; and

• Expect active student involvement and appropriate student recruitment policies and support systems

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AACSB International Assuranceof Learning Standards-Business

15 – Management of curricula with focus on continuous improvement-provides general curricula content guidelines. Expects participation of stakeholders in

setting goals16 – Undergraduate learning goals17 – Undergraduate educational level18 – Masters level general educational learning goals19 – Specialized masters degree learning goals20 – Masters educational level21 – Doctoral learning goals

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Philosophy of AACSB International Accreditation

AACSB accreditation ensures the accountability dimension of management education through Assurance of Learning standards that:

• Insure delivery of effectively managed curricula consistent with the stated mission;

• Insure program intentions defined by learning goals; and

• Insure learning achievement as demonstrated by direct assessment of learning

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The Accreditation Process:

A Three Phase System-Businessand Accounting

Pre- and Initial Accreditation Process

• Membership • Complete Eligibility criteria form (rolling admission)• Enter Pre-accreditation process and mentor assigned• Develop Alignment plan • Pre Accreditation Committee approves alignment plan

• Scope of review approved• Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC) approves the plan• School Implements the plan• Enter Accreditation process - peer review team assigned• SER• Visit

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2010-2011 Accreditation Fees

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Effective July 1, 2010      Fees from Pre-Accreditation Eligibility Application

through the Initial Accreditation Review:    

Establish Eligibility Criteria 1,000 USD Pre-Accreditation Fee – Business or Accounting1 4,500 USD

Initial Business

Accreditation Application Fee2 12,000 USD

[1] Includes current fiscal year Pre-Accreditation fee[2] Due following the submission of the Initial Accreditation application

Why AACSB Accreditation??

Why not? – • recognised worldwide• strives for quality• incentive to change for the better• makes one ask questions of one’s self –

introspective process• demonstrates to the world that

a group of peers has said “you are

good at what you do”31

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QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

Discussion