Accreditation

Philosophy of Accreditation

In promoting and fostering excellence in business education, the IACBE takes a mission-driven and outcomes-based approach to accreditation, in which the assurance of academic quality is based on the results of the assessment of educational outcomes rather than prescriptive input standards. Academic resource measures, i.e., the inputs into the educational process, do not by themselves provide prima facie evidence of the degree of academic quality. Just as managers and business organizations are evaluated in terms of their performance and not solely on input-related criteria, so too should academic business units be evaluated on the results of their efforts. Consequently, the focus should be on the value of those resources to the stakeholders of the academic business unit and its parent institution in terms of their ability to perform, i.e., their ability to produce measurable results or outcomes pertaining to actual student learning, operational effectiveness, and mission achievement. Therefore, for IACBE purposes, “academic quality” is defined to be the overall level of performance of the academic business unit in the context of its mission as measured by the extent of accomplishment of the unit’s intended student learning and operational outcomes and its mission and broad-based goals. The determination of the degree to which desired results are being achieved and the demonstration of academic quality are accomplished through a comprehensive program of outcomes assessment.

Adequate quantitative and qualitative levels of human, financial, and physical resources are essential factors in determining academic quality and operational effectiveness. However, the overall quality of education also depends on the educational processes used by the academic business unit to convert those resources to outcomes. These include such processes as teaching and other faculty interactions with students; faculty development and scholarly activities; curricular review and enhancement; and strategic planning. Therefore, given the vital roles played by inputs and processes, the IABCE’s quality assurance process involves a comprehensive set of accreditation principles pertaining to measures of academic resources and educational processes as well as outcomes assessment. These principles are based on best practices in business education, and are designed to promote excellence in business education through a benchmarking process, which is helpful in determining the extent to which the academic business unit is achieving its mission and its student learning and operational goals.

The IACBE bases its accreditation reviews on principles rather than standards. Standards and principles are similar in that both may be used to evaluate academic quality. However, the use of prescriptive input standards involves the specification of arbitrary thresholds and assumes that their achievement ensures high-quality outcomes, which is not necessarily the case. On the other hand, principles allow for a continuum of accomplishment and are used to assess outcomes, evaluate progress toward excellence, and encourage continuous improvement. Since academic business units are unique, with differing missions, goals, processes, and intended learning outcomes, there is no standard that fits all academic business units, but there are principles that can apply to all academic business units.

The IACBE is committed to a developmental approach to achieving excellence in business education. The IACBE and its members function in a collaborative and cooperative manner, and encourage each other toward higher levels of quality in business education.

The IACBE is both flexible and innovative in applying its philosophy of accreditation. It recognizes that business education takes place within a dynamic, complex environment that requires innovative approaches to achieving high-quality educational outcomes.

Characteristics of Excellence in Business Education

The mission of the IACBE is to promote and recognize excellence in business education in institutions of higher education worldwide. In order to advance this mission, the IACBE has defined seventeen explicit “Characteristics of Excellence in Business Education,” which have been identified by the IACBE as being important in demonstrating academic quality and operational effectiveness, and have been shown to be elements of high-quality business programs and highly-performing academic business units.

Excellence in business education is multidimensional and may be interpreted in different ways depending on the educational, historical, cultural, legal/regulatory, and organizational environments in which the academic business unit operates. The IACBE recognizes and respects this fact, but however it is interpreted, excellence in business education normally exhibits the following common characteristics:

• The academic business unit has a clearly defined mission and broad-based goals that are consistent with those of the institution.
• The academic business unit strives for higher levels of overall performance consistent with its mission as reflected in its student learning outcomes, operational effectiveness, and the accomplishment of its mission and broad-based goals.
• The academic business unit engages in a strategic planning process that is driven by the approved mission and broad-based goals of the academic business unit, is consistent with the strategic planning process of the institution, and is in touch with the realities of business education and the marketplace.
• The academic business unit has developed and implemented an outcomes assessment process that promotes continuous improvement in its business programs and its operations, and is linked to the strategic plans of both the academic business unit and the institution.
• The academic business unit develops students, both personally and professionally, into well-educated, ethical, and competent business professionals.
• The academic business unit operates in an environment that encourages and promulgates innovation and creativity in business education.
• The academic business unit has meaningful and effective linkages between the classroom and practitioners in the business community, thereby contributing to the assurance of currency in and relevance of its business programs.
• The academic business unit encourages both internal and external cooperative relationships with other educational units and institutions that are consistent with its mission and broad-based goals.
• Faculty members in the academic business unit integrate ethical viewpoints and principles in their teaching activities.
• Faculty members in the academic business unit strive to be effective teachers who are current in their professional fields and are active in contributing to their institutions and disciplines. Furthermore, members of the business faculty are positively engaged within their academic business unit and contribute to its mission and broad-based goals through appropriate faculty development and faculty evaluation processes.
• The mix of academic and professional credentials of the business faculty is worthy of the respect of the academic and business communities.
• The missions of the institution and the academic business unit are effectively communicated to current and prospective students.
• The institution provides resources to the academic business unit that are adequate to accomplish its mission and broad-based goals.
• The curricula in business programs reflect the missions of the institution and its academic business unit, and are consistent with current, acceptable business practices and the expectations of professionals in the academic and business communities.
• The curricula in business programs ensure that students understand and are prepared to deal effectively with critical issues in a changing global business environment.
• The content of business courses is delivered in a manner that is appropriate, effective, and stimulates learning.
• The organizational structures of the institution and the academic business unit support excellence in business education.

The IACBE’s Accreditation Principles, which are its evaluative criteria for accreditation, are based on and derived from these Characteristics of Excellence in Business Education.