Whitman Maintains Prestigious AACSB International Accreditation

Syracuse University has maintained its business accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Today, 870  business schools in over 100 countries—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.

The fundamental purpose of AACSB accreditation is to encourage business schools to hold themselves accountable for improving business practice through a commitment to strategic management, learner success, and impactful thought leadership. 

To maintain accreditation, a business program must undergo rigorous internal review every five years. In order to earn and sustain business accreditation, an institution must align with AACSB’s business accreditation standards that focus on mission, strategic management, and innovation; support for learners, faculty, and staff; and thought leadership and societal impact. Less than 5 percent of the more than 16,000 schools worldwide granting business degrees have earned AACSB Accreditation. AACSB-accredited schools produce graduates who are highly skilled and more desirable to employers than other non-accredited schools.

In this re-accreditation report the Whitman School was praised for its Strategic Plan, Roadmap to Whitman’s Second Century which was developed in 2017 and is being implemented with ambitious goals in mind as well as careful measurement tools. The report also highlights the differentiating aspect of the Whitman School as compared to other AACSB accredited business schools in that we are focused not just on the present but on the future. 

“Whitman is proud to have maintained continuous AACSB accreditation since 1920, when it was the 16th school in the nation to earn this sterling seal of excellence,” says Dean Gene Anderson. “Holding ourselves to the highest standards in instruction and creating exceptional learning environments, as well as driving excellent research by providing the support that the researchers require, is at the core of our mission and vision.  Receiving this distinguished recognition for our efforts in these areas means a tremendous amount to our community. It’s an honor that our faculty, staff, students, parents and alumni can take pride in.”

The Whitman School’s achievement was recognized on April 7 at the 2021 Virtual AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting.