Thanks to the AACSB seal of approval, Pforzheim University offers its students an academic education in an internationally renowned environment.
Pforzheim University has been successfully re-accredited by the renowned accreditation organisation AACSB International. The seal of approval certifies the outstanding quality of academic business education. Worldwide, less than 5% of Business Schools are allowed to bear it. In Germany, there are eleven universities so far.
Pforzheim University has been AACSB-accredited since 2011 with the Business School's degree programmes in Economics and Law as well as the Industrial Engineering programmes of the School of Engineering. It was the first university of applied sciences in Germany to receive this prestigious seal. With the renewed review and reaccreditation, AACSB International, the "Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business", certifies that the degree programmes meet the highest standards in teaching, research and in the transfer of knowledge to business and society.
"The reaccreditation strengthens our position as one of the leading business schools worldwide," emphasises Rector Professor Dr Ulrich Jautz. "It confirms the high quality of our study programmes, the clear commitment to application orientation and our position in the network of international partner universities," Jautz is pleased to say.
"Business Schools that are AACSB-accredited are united by the aspiration to continuously improve and have the courage to innovate. This philosophy is both an incentive and an obligation for us in Pforzheim," explains Professor Dr. Thomas Cleff, Dean of the Business School.
"The successful reaccreditation proves our quality promise to the students," emphasises Professor Dr. Harald Strotmann, Deputy Dean of the Business School and responsible for international accreditations. "The fact that we have been reaccredited again by AACSB confirms the high quality of our teaching and research in international comparison."
The accreditation offers added value especially for prospective students, but also for current students and alumni of the university. It opens up a broad network of internationally renowned partner universities for a semester abroad as well as easier access to Master's programmes and Doctoral programmes abroad. To cooperation partners and future employers from the business world, the seal demonstrates the high quality of Pforzheim's education.
The process of reaccreditation started in autumn 2021 with the submission of an activity and progress report. In January, an international team of experts spent three days at Pforzheim University to get an idea of the quality on site in discussions with professors, staff, students and representatives of external stakeholder groups. At the end of the audit, there was an unqualified recommendation to award the AACSB seal for the maximum period of another five years.
 
Background:
AACSB International
AACSB International, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, is the world's leading network in the field of management education, linking academia and practice. AACSB serves more than 1,500 member organisations in 97 countries and regions. Founded in 1916, AACSB accreditation certifies Business Schools to the highest standard of quality in the world. Currently, 780 institutions are accredited worldwide. More information at: www.aacsb.edu
Successful accreditations by independent agencies and external experts are a seal of approval for the quality of study programmes, the structures and processes in place at a higher education institution and its quality assurance.
While national accreditation, e.g. by the Accreditation Council Foundation is obligatory, international accreditation is voluntary. There are three internationally renowned accreditations for Business Schools, of which the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) is the world leader.