Mission-Driven Accreditation
Process and Requirements
Accreditation is a quality assurance process in which an institution of higher education or an academic unit within the institution voluntarily undergoes an external and independent appraisal of its educational activities. Programmatic accreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education is mission-driven and outcomes-based, and involves an independent, external evaluation of the business programs offered by an institution’s academic business unit.
The IACBE accredits business programs that lead to degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in institutions of higher education worldwide that grant associate’s, bachelor’s and/or graduate degrees.
The IACBE staff will work with the faculty and administration of the academic business unit as the unit prepares a comprehensive self-study to identify program strengths and weaknesses, and the level of compliance with the IACBE’s “Accreditation Principles.” In addition, the academic business unit will host a site visit by an independent team of peer reviewers. The self-study along with the site-visit team’s report of findings and the academic business unit’s response to the report will be reviewed by the IACBE’s Board of Commissioners, who will determine the accreditation status of the institution’s business programs.
Educational Membership
To be eligible for Educational Membership an academic business unit must grant business degrees at the associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral level, must have a publicly stated mission, and must submit the educational membership application.
To be eligible to become a Candidate for Accreditation an academic business unit must be an Educational Member in good standing, hold institutional accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency, attend the Accreditation Institute, submit a completed candidacy application, and host a candidacy site visit.
First-Time Accreditation
To be eligible for First-Time Accreditation, the business unit must be a Candidate for Accreditation in good standing, attend the required workshops, submit a completed application for first-time accreditation, and host an accreditation site visit. Programs may also concurrently seek the Specialized Accounting Accreditation.
Reaffirmation, New Program, and Accounting Accreditation
Academic business units with currently accredited programs can reaffirm accreditation, accredit new programs, or seek a specialized accounting accreditation.
