About the IACBE

Who We Are

At the IACBE, we believe that academic quality and excellence in business education should be measured in terms of the educational outcomes of an academic business unit relative to its mission rather than by prescriptive standards relating to academic resources.

We work together with you as partners on your journey. Throughout your accreditation journey we are here to provide guidance and support to help you understand the accreditation process and requirements. In addition, we act as a liaison between your institution and the IACBE Board of Commissioners, who will determine your accreditation status.

But our partnership doesn’t end with your certificate of accreditation – at the IACBE we are dedicated to helping you to move your business programs to the forefront in today’s competitive landscape. We provide opportunities to develop as a leader, to engage in professional development, to network with your colleagues, and to share best practices in business education.

CHEA Recognition

The IACBE is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CHEA’s purpose is to scrutinize and affirm the quality of regional, faith-based, private career, and programmatic accre CHEA Accredited Institutionditing organizations. The IACBE accredits business, accounting, and business-related degree programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in institutions of higher education worldwide. (CHEA 2019)

A Brief History of the IACBE

The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), formerly the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education, was founded in 1997 in response to the expressed needs of higher education administrators, business program leaders and faculty who wanted an accreditation process that was mission-driven and outcomes-based. Since that time, the IACBE has grown into the leading outcomes-based professional accreditation agency for business and management education in colleges and universities whose primary purpose is excellence in teaching and learning. The IACBE has hundreds of member institutions with campuses worldwide, and has accredited thousands of business and business-related programs worldwide. Significant recent milestones include:

2011 (January), the Board of Directors of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) granted recognition to the IACBE
2016, the IACBE membership approved extending accreditation to associate degree business programs offered by community colleges and other two-year institutions
2016, the first institutions with IACBE accredited business programs earned special accounting accreditation for their accounting programs
2017, the IACBE held its 20th anniversary celebration at the annual conference in San Francisco
2017, the IACBE changed its name to the International Accreditation Council for Business Education to more accurately reflect its accreditation services
2019, the CHEA Committee on Recognition approved a change to the scope statement that added accounting programs and removed the statement that excluded institutions of higher education that offer only associate degrees in business from the IACBE’s approved scope.
2021,CHEA reaffirmed recognition of IACBE’s scope of accreditation for an additional seven year period.

Mission, Vision, Goals, and Values

In our shared journey with members toward excellence in business education, the IACBE is guided by a clear mission and vision, and by a set of distinctive goals and core values.

Philosophy of Accreditation

It is the philosophy of the IACBE that academic quality and excellence in business education should be measured in terms of the performance of an academic business unit relative to its mission.

The IACBE’s Value Proposition

The IACBE offers a unique ‘diamond’ value proposition for academic business units worldwide.

IACBE Bylaws

In our shared journey with members toward excellence in business education, the IACBE is guided by governance directed by our core values.

Excellence in Business Education

In order to advance its accreditation mission, the IACBE has defined seventeen excplicit ‘Characteristics of Business Education.’

Meet the Staff

Meet the staff members of the IACBE…

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors is the governing and policy-making body of the IACBE, and is responsible for the general oversight of the organization’s operations and activities….

Board of Commissioners

The Board of Commissioners is the independent accreditation decision-making body of the IACBE, and is responsible for determining the accreditation status of the business programs of IACBE members…

President's Council

The President’s Council is composed of the President of the IACBE and past chairs of the Board of Directors and Board of Commissioners….

Regional Assemblies

In order to advance its mission and goals, the IACBE has established Regional Assemblies that are regional associations of the academic business unit members of the IACBE….

Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

IACBE supports and encourages the diverse attributes of each of our member institutions as evidenced by their faculty, students, administration, and communities. We believe that excellence in business education requires respecting and valuing the unique characteristics, attributes, and perspectives of all stakeholders in the educational process and results in graduates who possess the knowledge and skills to meet the needs of the future business environment. It is our goal to work together with each of our member institutions to build a unique educational model that reflects the institution’s mission and vision, while advancing academic quality