Whitman maintains prestigious AACSB International accreditation

The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University has maintained its business accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Today, 620 business schools in 38 countries—less than five percent of business schools worldwide—maintain this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.

To maintain accreditation, a business program must undergo rigorous internal review every five years, at which it must demonstrate its continued commitment to 21 quality standards relating to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.

“It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn and maintain AACSB accreditation,” said Jerry Trapnell, vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. “Schools not only must meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty and staff must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure continued delivery of high-quality education to students.”

“Whitman is proud to have maintained continuous AACSB accreditation since 1920, when it was only the 16th school in the nation to earn this sterling seal of excellence,” says Dean Melvin T. Stith. “Holding ourselves to the highest standards in instruction and creating exceptional learning environments is at the core of our work as management educators, so achieving continued distinguished recognition for our efforts in these areas means a great deal. It’s an honor that our faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni can take pride in.”

The Whitman School’s achievement will be recognized in late April at the 2011 AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting in New York City.