Accreditation first for Warwick

Warwick Business School has achieved accreditation from the Board of Directors of AACSB - The International Association for Management Education, following a simultaneous assessment exercise with the Association of MBAs, which has re-accredited all four MBA programmes for the maximum five year period for meeting the high quality standards required by the Association.

The University of Warwick's Business School is leading the way in business school development - it is the first UK institution to attain AACSB accreditation, joining only two other European business schools in its pilot venture outside the US and Canada. Furthermore, it is the first time that a parallel assessment has been conducted by the AACSB and the Association of MBAs, made possible by close three-way co-operation between all parties. The aim was to identify where the processes could be streamlined whilst safeguarding their quality, resulting in a mutual learning experience for all.

Established in the USA in 1916, the AACSB's founding members include Harvard and Yale Universities. It is a not-for-profit body comprising over 800 educational organisations and corporations. Its mission is excellence in management education in colleges and universities, and it has a growing international membership of more than 140 non-US universities on six continents. The UK-based Association of MBAs has been instrumental in raising public, business and academic awareness of the MBA as the premier management qualification since 1967.

Each accreditation body has its own distinctive focus, as well as covering similar ground in the shape of the school mission, structure and resources. The AACSB's brief takes in the full range of business education, including undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. The Association of MBAs concentrate on MBA provision: all modes of the MBA had previously been accredited separately. Indeed, Warwick set the standard for Distance Learning, being the first such programme to receive accreditation back in November 1993.

Jenny Hocking, Associate Dean (Administration), who played a key role in overseeing the accreditation process, says:

"We are delighted at the speed of the decision from the AACSB. The initial informal feedback was certainly very positive, with a number of ‘unique strengths' being perceived by the panel. Now that we have official confirmation, we can get on with the business of developing the enhanced international opportunities afforded by this award."

The AACSB commendations included:

"(1) Distance Learning MBA as a unique and distinctive program for a major research university, (2) Designated Senior Member role for providing valuable mentoring and support for junior colleagues, (3) faculty involvement and commitment in the administration of the School and professional governance, particularly at the Professor level, and (4) commitment to improvement in instruction and course development with multiple faculty involved in course delivery."

AACSB accreditation is for ten years, with re-affirmation after five years to check that any recommendations have been carried out.

Professor Ian Davidson, Academic Director of the Part-time MBA variants will receive the AACSB award on behalf of the School at their Annual Meeting in Atlanta in April.

A member of the efmd's (European Foundation for Management Development) EQUIS accreditation system visited the School at the beginning of March. Given the growing importance of EQUIS in Europe, the School is in the process of applying for this accreditation too, with a tentative visit arranged for November 1999.

Professor Robert Dyson, Dean of the School says:

"Seeking Association of MBAs, AACSB and EQUIS accreditations may seem like overkill, but we have always valued the Association of MBAs as a standards-based system, and AACSB and EQUIS - being mission-based - have caused us to evaluate our activities from international perspectives, which has been most worthwhile. Engaging in the processes within a relatively short period of time has also led to considerable efficiency gains. The status of the various kite marks varies throughout the world, which makes multiple accreditation important for a school with an international scope."