Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)

AACSB International (http://www.aacsb.edu) is the premier accreditation body for business education programs in the United States. In addition to this activity, the organization promotes management education through programs and written reports that explore current trends in management education. It is a membership organization, and member institutions include corporations or educational institutions that are not accredited by AACSB. Prior to this review, it was my understanding that the major activity of the AACSB was accreditation. From the Web site it is not clear if this activity is indeed the major work of the group or if the two purposes described above are more equally represented in the group’s activities. The organization was founded in 1916 and is currently located in Florida. The purpose of accreditation is to certify quality, in this case the quality of a business school or program. In the United States, the federal government does not certify schools. In many other countries the government performs this activity, often through powerful Ministries of Education. In the United States the relationship among the U.S. Department of Education, accrediting organizations like AACSB, and the schools is significant and complex. Schools are highly motivated to seek accreditation for several reasons. The stamp of quality bestowed by accreditation attracts the best students, permits students to transfer credits, and is a prerequisite for receiving federal student aid and other federal money. Schools, through membership dues, fund the activities of accrediting organizations like AACSB. The U.S. Department of Education has the freedom to choose which accrediting organizations it recognizes. Only schools accredited by organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education can participate in federal student aid programs and receive other forms of federal aid.