TAMPA, FL (May 20, 2009) — Another AACSB-endorsed Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Program graduated its first
group of students
– bringing the total number of academically qualified Ph.D.s for the management education market to
52 professionals.
Offered through five AACSB-accredited institutions—
Grenoble Ecole de Management in France, University of Florida,
University of Toledo,
Tulane University,
and Virginia Tech—these innovative programs prepare experienced doctoral faculty from non-business disciplines for new careers as business faculty members.
On May 16, Tulane University's Freeman School of Business graduated 18 students—seven in finance, six in marketing,
and five
in organizational behavior—from its first Post-Doctoral Bridge program. All 18 graduates have positions as business school faculty.
In August 2008, Virginia Tech's Pamplin College of Business graduated its first group of nine students from the program, followed
by 21 program graduates from the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business in September 2008, and four program graduates
from the University of Toledo's College of Business in October 2008. Grenoble Ecole de Management in France will be the last of the
five programs to graduate its first group of students in November 2009.
"The survey of demand for faculty worldwide continues to indicate a broad-scale shortage of doctoral faculty throughout all business
curricula, with an ever-increasing shortage of Ph.D.s in accounting," said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of
AACSB International. "The management education industry is indebted to the universities providing bridge programs that carefully
assimilate non-business doctoral faculty for their new role within colleges of business. We congratulate all
doctoral bridge program graduates and wish them the best of luck in their new careers."
While eligibility requirements vary for each of the five Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Programs, all candidates must have a
doctoral degree from an institution recognized for producing successful scholars, and the institution must maintain necessary specialized
accreditation for that field. Candidates also must show excellent capabilities for conducting scholarly research and teaching in a field
related to the business discipline for which they are applying.
Post-Doctoral Bridge Program graduates receive a certificate of completion indicating that they are qualified to teach in their
respective business discipline for five years from the date of graduation. To maintain academic qualification past the five-year period,
each graduate must perform appropriate activities as both a scholar and a teacher.
For more information on the Post-Doctoral Bridge Programs, including program requirements for each of the five participating
institutions, visit the Post-Doctoral Bridge to Business Program
on the AACSB International web site at www.aacsb.edu/bridgetobusiness.
About AACSB International
AACSB International is an association of more than 1,100 educational institutions, businesses and other organizations in
71 countries that are
dedicated to the advancement of management education worldwide. In addition to service as the premier accreditation body for institutions offering
undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in business and accounting, the association also conducts a wide array of conferences and seminar programs at various location around the world.
Through BestBizSchools.com, AACSB provides a global resource center for prospective business students.
www.aacsb.edu
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