Four institutions added to AACSB accreditation history recently when they became the first in their respective countries to achieve accreditation of their business degree programs.

In March, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile achieved accreditation of its bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business and became the first institution in Chile to earn AACSB accreditation. The University of Mannheim achieved accreditation of its master’s (Diplom) degree program in business and became the first institution in Germany to garner the distinction.

In April, Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo, in Brazil, and Keio University, Graduate School of Business Administration, in Japan, became the first institutions in their respective countries to receive AACSB accreditation. Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo achieved accreditation of its bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in business. Keio University, Graduate School of Business Administration, achieved accreditation of its master’s and doctoral degree programs in business.

"We are proud to join the ranks of institutions accredited by AACSB," said Francisco S. Mazzucca, business dean at Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Sao Paulo. "As an endorsement of our high quality, AACSB accreditation expands our international horizons and challenges us to continuous improvement. We anticipate a long and rewarding relationship with AACSB and its accredited institutions."

Other members achieving March accreditation of their baccalaureate and master’s degree programs in business included the University of Minnesota-Duluth, North Carolina State University, Pepperdine University and Saint Joseph’s University. Arkansas Tech University, Grambling State University and Winston-Salem State University achieved accreditation of their baccalaureate degree programs.

Other members achieving April accreditation of their baccalaureate and master’s programs in business included the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth; Montclair State University; Quinnipiac College; Seattle Pacific University; and Youngstown State University. The Naval Postgraduate School achieved accreditation of its master’s program. The University of South Carolina-Aiken achieved accreditation of its baccalaureate program.

"During the candidacy period, we developed the mantra: ‘Accreditation will be a by-product of fulfilling our mission,’" said Alec Hill, business dean at Seattle Pacific University. "Sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. We are now much more focused, more responsible to assessment data and less dependent upon anecdotes about our students. Accreditation has lifted our collective sense of pride."

In April the following institutions received initial accounting accreditation at the baccalaureate and master’s levels: Central Missouri State University, Iowa State University, Rice University, Saint Joseph’s University, Western Illinois University and Wichita State University. The University of San Diego received accounting accreditation at the baccalaureate level.

As of April 2000, there are 380 AACSB accredited members in North America (371 in the U.S., seven in Canada and two in Mexico), four in Europe, three in Asia, one in Central America and two in South America. Of the 390 accredited institutions, 149 have received accounting accreditation at various degree levels. There are 28 institutions with undergraduate programs only that are accredited (7.2 percent), 27 institutions with graduate programs only that are accredited (7.0 percent) and 335 institutions with both undergraduate and graduate programs accredited (86.0 percent.)