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Governance Remodeling Project

A Strategic Update for Members
AACSB has undertaken a comprehensive governance assessment to ensure its structure remains responsive, aligned with the needs of its global membership, and future-focused. AACSB's Board of Directors has engaged in meaningful consultation with stakeholders across regions—conducting leadership surveys, benchmarking, and a multi-day summit to explore and evaluate new governance models. We encourage you to review the below materials and provide your feedback to help shape the future of AACSB governance.
Why This Matters to You
This project goes beyond structural change—it’s about building a governance system that better supports an agile, effective, and member-responsive association. The proposed model is designed to:
Strengthen Board Composition
to reflect AACSB’s diverse membership by geography and institution type, while emphasizing relevant skills and experience.
Reduce Board Size
to improve agility and introduce a competency-based nomination process.
Improve Transparency and Communication
between the board, Regional Advisory Councils, and the broader membership.
Restructure board committees
to align with evolving needs, including newly established global committees for accreditation oversight.
Streamline Decision-Making
while broadening opportunities for member input and leadership.
Align Governance With AACSB’s Mission and Strategic Direction
and the changing needs of business education globally.

Town Hall Conversations – Your Input Matters

In the coming weeks, AACSB will host a series of member town halls to share a draft hybrid model that incorporates the most valued features of several models discussed at the governance summit.

Proposed Governance Model Deck Cover May 2025

Click here to access information on the proposed governance model. 

These 60-minute sessions will include an overview presentation followed by an open forum for questions, insights, and feedback. This is a critical step before the board finalizes any governance changes or bylaw revisions. All feedback from members will inform the next round of refinements to ensure the final model reflects the priorities and values of the global AACSB community.

We encourage you to review the materials provided, including this page and the FAQ. Please join us at an upcoming town hall and help shape the future of AACSB governance.

 

Upcoming Sessions: 

AACSB members are welcome to join any of the listed sessions. 

Asia Pacific: May 27, 7:00 pm ET, 7:00 am SGT

Latin America: May 29, 2:00 pm ET

North America: June 16, 12:00 pm ET

Middle East and Africa: June 17, 1:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm EEST

Europe: June 23, 9:00am ET, 3:00 pm CEST

Frequently Asked Questions
AACSB’s current governance model was established when the organization was a third of its current size and still incorporated as the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business. In recognizing the need for a more agile, transparent, and globally inclusive governance model, the AACSB Board of Directors launched this project to modernize its governance structure. The project intends to ensure that AACSB’s future governance remains responsive to the needs of its members around the world.
The project is designed to:
  • Enhance inclusivity and global engagement.
  • Increase the agility and effectiveness of decision-making.
  • Align governance structures with AACSB’s strategic priorities.
  • Ensure transparency and accountability in governance.
  • Strengthen the role of member engagement in strategic oversight.
The governance remodeling project is led by leadership from the Board of Directors, including the Board Chair, Vice Chair-Chair Elect, Immediate Past Chair, the Articles and Bylaws Committee, and President & CEO of AACSB. The project is facilitated by an independent governance consultant, Tecker International.
The project included:
  • Survey of AACSB stakeholder leadership and regional representatives to provide input on governance structure and process.
  • A global governance summit with AACSB board members, invited stakeholders from each global region, and staff.
  • Benchmarking with multiple governance models.
  • Ongoing input from regional groups.
  • A multi-month consultation and refinement process.
  • Members will continue to be engaged through upcoming town halls and feedback mechanisms.
Board of Directors:
  • Smaller board size: 13–17 members, reduced from the current size of up to 30 members.
  • Balanced representation: Includes both accredited and non-accredited educational institutions, and business members.
  • Competency-based nominations: Emphasis on experience, skills, and inclusivity.
  • Accreditation decisions: Transfer responsibility for accreditation ratifications to the new Global Accreditation Committee.
  • Board oversight of standards and accreditation: A defined reporting mechanism to the board from the Global Standards Committee and the Global Accreditation Committee. 
Committees:
  • Nominating Committee: Regional advisory council chairs to participate directly in board nominations. Updated nomination and selection process.
  • Audit Committee: Revised to Audit & Risk Committee, with an expanded scope for improved risk oversight.
  • Articles & Bylaws Committee: Reconstituted as the Governance Committee with the responsibility of advising the board on good organizational governance practices and to ensure board effectiveness.
  • Innovation Committee retired: The Board may establish timely Emerging Practices Task Forces in response to emerging issues and needs, enhancing agility and effectiveness.
Advisory Councils:
  • Strengthened global presence: New North America Advisory Council added; broaden engagement of African constituency through the transition of the Middle East and North Africa Advisory Council to the Middle East and Africa Advisory Council.
  • Deeper communication and engagement with the board: In addition to the Regional Advisory Council Chairs joining the Nominating Committee, communication pathways will be established for sharing input and feedback with the board. 
Standards and Accreditation Governance:
  • NEW Global Standards Committee (GSC): Reviews and updates Global Standards for Business Education and Accounting Accreditation Standards every five years, with annual technical edits.
  • New Global Accreditation Committee (GAC): Combines the Business Accreditation Policy Committee (BAPC) and Accounting Accreditation Policy Committee (AAPC) for better collaboration and coordination. Oversees application of business and accounting standards, maintains accreditation policies, and ratifies accreditation committee decisions.
There will be no changes to the accreditation standards or processes in 2025–2026. The governance updates will go into effect in 2026-27, primarily regarding oversight and reporting structures. Once established, standards and accreditation oversight will be provided by the newly structured GAC and GSC. In addition, accreditation ratification decisions will be transferred from the board of directors to the GAC.
While AACSB is making meaningful improvements to its governance structure, several foundational elements will remain unchanged:
  • Continued commitment to AACSB’s mission and core values.
  • Ongoing emphasis on a “Members First” mindset across all organizational activities.
  • A globally engaged board that reflects the character of AACSB’s membership.
  • Preservation of the structure and responsibilities of board leadership roles.
  • Continued operation of essential standing committees, including the Executive Committee and the Finance and Investment Committee.
  • The Accreditation Council (accredited members) remains responsible for maintaining and overseeing global accreditation standards.
  • Members retain their right to vote on changes to bylaws and the approval of membership dues.
  • No changes to the Articles of Incorporation.
    Members can expect:
    • Stronger regional representation through deeper engagement with Regional Advisory Councils.
    • Greater access to leadership opportunities via competency-based nomination processes.
    • Increased clarity and transparency around governance processes and decision-making.
    • More efficient communication channels between the board, regional bodies, and the wider membership.
    • New opportunities to engage through issue-based task forces and advisory roles.
    For AACSB, the new governance model:
    • Aligns governance with its global mission and strategic goals.
    • Enhances the board’s ability to respond swiftly to emerging issues.
    • Modernizes the structure to ensure long-term organizational resilience.
    • Increases the capacity for innovation through focused, temporary task forces.
    • Strengthens the feedback loop between members and leadership.
    • Reduces the cost related to the board and governance activities
    • May–June 2025: Member town halls to present the model and gather input.
    • June 2025: Tecker International will synthesize feedback from town halls.
    • July-August 2025: Draft Bylaws revisions to be completed.
    • September–October 2025: Final governance model, Bylaws changes to be shared with and approved by the board in September, and members at 2025 Deans Conference.
    • 2025–2026 onward: NO impact in 2025-26. Transition and implementation will begin in 2026-2027.
    • Review the materials on this page in advance of the town hall meetings. 
    • Attend the town hall meetings scheduled in May and June 2025.
    • Submit comments to [email protected] by X date. 
    • Check this page for ongoing updates and implementation progress.