10 years of AACSB accreditation
News
It all began in 2011: Pforzheim University was the first university of applied sciences in Germany to achieve AACSB accreditation. The "Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business" confirmed the highest standards in teaching, research and knowledge transfer to the Business School and the Industrial Engineering programmes. For ten years now, Pforzheim has belonged to the small circle of the 5% best business schools worldwide. In Germany, in addition to Pforzheim University, only ten universities and, since 2019, a second university of applied sciences, are currently entitled to bear this prestigious seal of quality.
"Education is a trust-based good. Whoever chooses a study programme and a university, must have confidence in the quality of the education there," emphasises Professor Dr. Harald Strotmann, MBA Director, Deputy Dean and responsible at the Business School for strategy and international accreditation. "Rankings, but also accreditations, provide a good orientation. Accreditation means to have a system for quality.” “The Pforzheim degree offers many opportunities for the labour market and has a high international recognition," emphasises Eduardo Rodriguez, a graduate from the MBA International Management programme, who chose Pforzheim also because of the AACSB seal of approval.
Continuous Improvement: Re-accreditation every five years
The AACSB's core maxim is: Continuous development in order to become better. Every five years, a review is carried out along certain standards and each institution is individually assessed to determine the progress that has been made since the last audit.
2017 saw the first reaccreditation of the Pforzheim Business School. The next audit is scheduled for spring 2022. "The quality audit by the AACSB is a continuous process," explains Professor Professor Dr. Thomas Cleff, Dean of the Business School Pforzheim. "With each accreditation university receives so-called 'Concerns' along the way. There are certain aspects or fields of activity to which, in the five years until the next re-accreditation, must be given special attention."
Rectorate and Dean's Office, many teachers, staff and students are actively involved in the re-accreditation process. The reviewers should have as broad and direct an insight as possible into teaching, research and administration.
To get more information on AACSB please check www.aacsb.edu