Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business and its School of Accountancy’s global accreditations were recently extended by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.
The Strome College is one of 65 business schools cited in the AACSB’s latest accreditation extensions, and the accountancy program was one of 11 to earn an extension.
Overall, 989 institutions in 60 countries and territories have earned AACSB business accreditation.
“The AACSB is the leading accrediting body for business schools, so this is a great distinction for the Strome College of Business,” Dean Kenneth Kahn said. “We are further distinguished as being one of 194 universities worldwide where both the College of Business and School of Accountancy are separately accredited and meet the high standards set by AACSB.”
The Strome College received initial AACSB accreditation in 1974; the School of Accountancy received initial accreditation in 1983.
During this multiyear accreditation process, schools focus on developing and implementing a plan to align with AACSB’s accreditation standards, according to the organization’s website. These standards require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty and staff as active participants; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement.
“The AACSB congratulates each institution on their achievement,” said Stephanie M. Bryant, global executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of the AACSB. “Every AACSB-accredited school has demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development and student learning. The intense, peer-review process exemplifies their commitment to quality business education.”
To achieve accounting accreditation, an institution must first earn AACSB business accreditation. It then must satisfy a supplemental set of standards specific to accounting.
Once accreditation is achieved, each institution participates in a five-year continuous improvement peer review to extend its accreditation.
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to our associate deans, department chairs, faculty and staff, who all worked very hard preparing for and going through the reaccreditation process during this past spring semester,” Kahn said.