AACSB Accreditation - Premium Value for Global Business Education and Career

Most executive MBA degrees online from business schools boast global networking opportunities and high-quality education. But not all hold the same weight for employers and countries. And you don’t want to spend so much and get little-to-none value for it, now…

One of the best ways to verify the quality of such an expensive postgraduate program and whether it is worth your investment is accreditation. 

CHEA defines accreditation as “a process for external quality review created and used by higher education to scrutinize colleges, universities and programs for quality assurance and quality improvement.”

You must be aware of the Indian ones, including UGC and AICTE. They are with most of the online MBAs universities offer here in the country. 

But when it comes to international B-schools offering virtual MBAs, the same accreditations may not apply globally. In that case, you must look into enrolling in MBA programs virtually from the best institutes - those that are globally accredited via AACSB. 

This is because the AACSB accreditation is the most internationally prestigious and historically renowned, which only 5% of universities worldwide have. 

What is the AACSB Accreditation?

AACSB stands for Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, formed in 1916 as a non-profit organisation for the business education industry. Since 1919, it has been revisiting its standards for degree programmes in business administration. In 1980, it also added a separate set of globally recognised standards for degree programmes in the field of accountancy. 

AASCB has been the ‘gold standard’ of accreditation bodies in the USA and globally. 

Having an AACSB accreditation means the university or programme is of the highest quality. Since this accreditation body has also received ISO 9001:2015, it shows commitment to accrediting only those that are continuously improving in providing the best education in business and truly making a social impact around the globe.

This ensures that the AASCB-accredited schools promise globally recognised quality assurance standards. They must also provide relevant education to students and have enough financial resources and social commitment to offer the programmes. 

Top AACSB Accredited Schools

Under AACSB, over 1,000 B-schools worldwide provide undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education in business-related subjects. Public and private institutes with this global accreditation offer degrees in offline, hybrid, and online formats. 

Here are some of the most popular schools of business with AACSB certification for UG and PG programmes offered entirely online, hybrid, or traditionally offline. 

1. Arizona State University
2. Carnegie Mellon University
3. Deakin University
4. Amrita School of Business (ASB) 
5. Villanova University
6. University of Pennsylvania The Wharton School
7. IMT Ghaziabad
8. SPJIMR
9. IIM Indore
10. IIM Lucknow

AACSB Accreditation Standards 

There are three broad AACSB Accreditation Standards. 

1. Strategic Management and Innovation

In this standard of AACSB, the business school should have a strategic direction in being innovative. There must be careful resource management and technology integration as per the changing business environment, so that educational outcomes are effective. 

2. Learner Success

The business school accredited by AACSB should focus on effective learning outcomes through curriculum design and better ways to address the progression of learners. This is possible when creating a learning environment that’s supportive through prompt services and when students get more opportunities to develop their knowledge that will help their careers. 

3. Thought Leadership, Engagement, and Societal Impact

This standard highlights the school's role in thought leadership, community engagement, and societal impact. It focuses on the quality and impact of scholarly research, engagement with external stakeholders, and contributions to society through innovative programs and initiatives. 

AACSB accredits business schools that demonstrate how their activities and research positively influence business theory, teaching practices, and societal well-being. These aspects align with AACSB's vision of transforming business education for positive societal impact.