There are three primary accrediting agencies when it comes to granting programmatic accreditation to business management programs, and the IACBE is both the newest and smallest of these three agencies. Founded in 1997, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education was founded as a different type of accrediting agency for business schools. Unlike the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, which has a stated commitment to valuing institution research, academic rigor, and stringent admissions standards, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education was founded to grant accreditation to schools with little or no commitment to scholarly research. Since its inception, the group has grown to include more than 230 colleges of business in the United States and 20 other countries.
A Focus on Course Content and Academic Rigor
While the AACSB has long required accredited institutions to be leaders in academic research and scholarly publishing, the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education recognizes that this type of commitment just isn’t practical at many smaller colleges located throughout the United States and internationally. For this reason, the organization does not include a strong research component in its accreditation. Instead, it believes that it has achieved a superior method of accreditation that focuses on the classes required of business-related programs, the qualifications of professors who teach those classes, and the academic rigor enforced by the university’s college of business.
The organization features a strong list of requirements related to program quality, and these requirements go beyond classroom experiences and required coursework. Member institutions must track student outcomes and be able to demonstrate high retention rates, six-year graduation rates, and job placement rates. Low student loan default rates are also a key way that the organization assesses the quality of a business school’s program. Upon meeting a stringent list of accrediting standards, a university’s college of business is moved into “candidacy status.” This temporary membership is a trial period for the school. If it maintains a strong commitment to the accrediting body’s requirements, it is moved to full accreditation some time later. Accrediting periods last 7 years, with an option for renewal.
Growing Fast and Growing Global
Though the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education is the newest of the three big accrediting institutions for programs in management and administration, it’s growing rapidly in the United States and round the world. Many universities are increasingly focused more on the student experience than on the outcomes of scholarly research, and this means they’re often looking for a new form of accreditation that recognizes their commitment to the classroom. As such, the group has drawn over 230 members in just 18 years, and it has expanded its reach to 20 countries. In 2003, the organization first applied for CHEA recognition within the Department of Education. This distinction was achieved in 2011, and growth has accelerated dynamically ever since.
An Excellent, Alternative Accreditation for Business Schools
Programmatic accreditation for programs in business and administration are a key way for universities to differentiate their programs and prove that they are held to the highest standard of quality. Though there are many options for accreditation in today’s academic environment, schools of business that focus more on student outcomes than on research opportunities often look outside the AACSB’s accreditation. When they do, they often select the curriculum-focused IACBE seal of approval as a way to prove their academic rigor, strong student outcomes, and high retention rates.
