In its final report published in 2008, the Impact of Research Task Force recommended that AACSB “extend and augment AACSB accreditation guidelines to require schools to demonstrate the impact of faculty intellectual contributions on targeted audiences.” This recommendation drew significant interest during the report’s public exposure period due to its potential impact on the accreditation process.

In order to explore this recommendation further, the AACSB Board Committee on Issues in Management Education (CIME) asked AACSB staff, with guidance from an implementation task force of volunteers, to design an exploratory study to:

1. Assess the overall feasibility of implementing this recommendation by revealing challenges and opportunities.

2. Suggest, if appropriate, new language for accreditation standards and guidelines to be considered by appropriate committees.

3. Develop an initial set of potential measures for schools to use.

Formally initiated at the beginning of the 2008/2009 academic year, the study is designed to result in preliminary recommendations to the CIME from the implementation task force by September 2010 and a final set of recommendations by September 2011. The study involves 10 volunteer schools, representing a diverse set of missions found within the AACSB Accreditation Council. Three of the participating schools are scheduled for maintenance of accreditation visits in 2009-2010 and eight schools are scheduled for maintenance of accreditation visits in 2010-2011. Although the study will revolve around the scheduled maintenance visits, it will not impact maintenance of accreditation decisions.

The core process will involve participating schools in determining expected impacts consistent with their stated missions, developing policies and procedures, and designing an implementation plan for assessing impact of intellectual contributions. AACSB staff will assist the participating schools through the process. AACSB staff also will  facilitate the engagement of peer review teams and discussion by the Maintenance of Accreditation Committee and Accounting Accreditation Committee to ensure a broad base of feedback is gathered.

The 10 participating schools are:

- Binghamton University, State University of New York

- California State University, Northridge

- College of Willam and Mary

- Loyola University Chicago

- Queensland University of Technology

- Saint Joseph's University

- Universität Mannheim

- University of Alberta

- University of Evansville

- University of Minnesota

The study will continue for a period of three years. It is likely that a report will be produced at the end of the study to summarize the results.