The UofL College of Business has achieved reaffirmation of its accreditation for its business and accounting programs by the Board of Directors of AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.   
     The AACSB represents the worldwide gold standard for business school excellence. Only one-third of the 1200 business schools in the U.S. are accredited and less than 15 percent have separate accreditation for accounting programs. The accreditation is a touchstone for students and faculty seeking exceptional academic environments.
 

      In the Louisville area, UofL is the only business school accredited in both its business and accounting programs.
     “We’re very proud to remain part of this exclusive list,” said College of Business Dean Charlie Moyer. “It’s one more indication that a degree from our college is an incredible value.”
     Dean Moyer said the renewal also delivers a powerful statement for alumni and corporate interests as the college pushes ahead with key initiatives in entrepreneurship, research and higher standards for student and faculty performance.
     “It confirms we’re a solid investment for anyone who wants to impact the future of Louisville, Kentucky or the region as a whole,” he said.  “The continuity illustrates our commitment to the quality of life and intellectual capital we need to grow the local economy.”
     Accredited institutions must re-apply for the distinction every five years. To be accredited, business programs must satisfy the expectations of a wide range of quality standards relating to strategic management of resources, faculty quality and sufficiency, interactions of faculty and students in the educational process, achievement of learning goals in degree programs, and effective student career management.
     During the accreditation process, the college was visited and evaluated by business school deans and accounting educators with detailed knowledge of management education, applying accreditation standards that are widely accepted in the educational community. The review also included discussions with top university administration.
     “I can report they found us to be meeting the letter of the law,” said UofL Provost Shirley Willihnganz, who met with the AACSB review team. “But just as important, they found a group of excited faculty, staff and students moving ahead with vision and commitment under stellar leadership from their dean.  I am both grateful and proud to be associated with their efforts.”
     The college also continues to receive international recognition for its programs.  Most recently, international consulting firm EDUNIVERSAL named the college “one of the 1000 most important business schools in the world” for 2008 and BusinessWeek magazine ranked the college #11 among public universities in the South.
     AACSB International is an association of more than 1,100 educational institutions, businesses and other organizations in 70 countries that are dedicated to the advancement of business education worldwide.  AACSB International is the longest serving and largest global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting. The association also is the business education community’s professional development organization, conducting a wide array of conference and seminar programs at various locations around the world. For information on the global distribution of accredited programs, visit aacsb.edu/accreditation/accreditedmembers.asp