Kylie McGovern, Editor

Header Image: Photo courtesy of Kimmel Bogrette

On Feb. 8, La Salle University announced that the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) extended its accreditation of La Salle University’s School of Business through 2027. This accreditation involves a rigorous review process every five years. To achieve accreditation, the school or program must adhere to quality standards like business management and knowledge through faculty scholarship, high-impact teaching and curricula, meaningful interaction between faculty and students and the achievement of specific learning goals. The AACSB accreditation is considered the highest standard of excellence in business education. This accreditation is prestigious because less than five percent of the 13,000 business schools globally earn AACSB accreditation. Therefore, this accreditation makes La Salle’s School of Business one of the leading business schools in the world. 

Yusuf Joseph Ugras, Ph.D,  professor of accounting and the school of business’s  interim dean, explains, “AACSB accreditation is a source of tremendous pride for our faculty, staff, students, and alumni and it serves as the benchmark credential of exemplary business education—one that is reserved for the top tier of business schools globally.” He continues saying, “earning this accreditation extension from AACSB further validates the quality of our teaching, learning, and programmatic offerings at La Salle.” 

According to the AACSB, business schools should familiarize their faculty and administration with the AACSB accreditation guiding principles and standards along with the initial accreditation process. Taking the time to understand the accreditation process and standards before submitting an eligibility application provides a greater understanding of AACSB accreditation, which is typically reflected in a school’s application. To maintain this accreditation, La Salle’s business school must pay an annual fee of $5,950 and maintain the AACSB’s quality standards. This accreditation to last until 2027 is positive news for the business school in particular as well as the posterity of the entire university. 

Member of the business school Nicholas “Nicky” Signoretta, who is studying business systems and analytics (BSA) and finance said that this accreditation is “exciting for me and my classmates in the business school as well. I feel like getting the AACSB accreditation extended only makes my degree more valuable while also congratulating the business school for its prestige that its students already know. I am so proud to be a part of this program and I am excited for what the future holds now that its AACSB accreditation has been extended.”