| Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AACSB |
| Formation | 1916 |
| Type | NGO |
| Purpose/focus | educational accreditation |
| Website | www.aacsb.edu |
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) was founded in 1916 to accredit schools of business worldwide. The first accreditations took place in 1919.[1] The stated mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation and thought leadership.[2] It is regarded as the benchmark for business school quality among the academic community.[3] In 1991, the AACSB adopted new accreditation standards that were more flexible.[4]
For many years, only North American business schools were accredited by AACSB (at that time, AACSB stood for American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business). It was an early supporter of internationalizing business education.[5] The first school outside North America to be accredited was the top French business school ESSEC, in 1997. In 2009, AACSB opened its first regional headquarters in Singapore.[6]
Its founding members include Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, New York University, Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, Tulane University, Drake University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Nebraska, University of Pennsylvania, University of Pittsburgh, University of South Florida, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, The University of Texas, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Yale University.[7] As of April 2009, the AACSB accredits 567 institutions on six continents. An institution can be accredited in business, or in both business and accountancy.[8]