Northumbria University awarded elite business school accreditation at AACSB global conference

Europe’s only dual AACSB-accredited university has forged strong links with the global elite of business schools at the organisation’s International Conference and Annual Meeting (ICAM) 2015.

Representatives from Northumbria University’s Newcastle Business School travelled to Florida recently to join fellow accredited institutions at the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) meeting.

AACSB is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, masters, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting – and last year Newcastle Business School was the first university in Europe to be recognised for both its business and accountancy programmes and one of less than 10 institutions in the world outside the USA.

During the three-day event, the team from Northumbria attended various seminars and events including an Accreditation Recognition event where the team officially received its AACSB certificate commending the university’s dual accreditation.

Professor Kevin Kerrigan, Executive Dean for Newcastle Business School, said: “To be the only university in Europe with a double accreditation from the AACSB is a huge privilege and demonstrates the high quality of our research-informed teaching and our focus on graduate employability, innovation, excellence and impact. Less than one per cent of business schools worldwide have achieved this dual recognition which puts us firmly within an elite group.

“It has been extremely encouraging to attend the annual AACSB conference, meet with our peers from around the world and discuss the potential for working together in the future.”

Prof. Kerrigan and colleagues also visited the MUMA College of Business at the University of South Florida whilst in the US. The American university is one of just a few dual accredited schools in the state, and the two institutions were keen to discuss the significance of the recognition and the potential for future collaborations.

He added: “Achieving AACSB accreditation has been a genuinely transformational process, and the opportunities now open to us include forging friendships with our fellow members, which is why we took the chance to visit the University of South Florida while in Tampa. We found we share very similar practices, and we look forward to developing our relationship through for example exchange programmes for students and staff.”

Newcastle Business School first received its AACSB accreditation for its Business programmes in May 2014. This was followed three months later with recognition of when Northumbria’s Accounting programme. The School also saw major success in the national Research Excellence Framework, with 60% of the School’s research leading to internationally excellent or world leading impact in business and the community.

Achieving accreditation from AACBS involves a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation and adjustment which can take several years to complete. Over this time, business schools develop and implement a plan to meet AACSB’s accreditation standards, which demand a high quality teaching environment, innovative programming, and active engagement with industry.

To learn more about Northumbria University visit https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/academic-departments/newcastle-business-school/

To learn more about AACSB International accreditation, visit www.aacsb.edu/accreditation/