Only 882 institutions in 57 countries worldwide hold an AACSB (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation. This includes prestigious universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, London Business School, and the University of St. Gallen, all of which have been certified to meet AACSB’s strict international standards. AACSB focuses on program management, faculty and researcher qualifications, research output and impact, and career prospects for students and graduates. Commitment, innovation, and social impact are key areas in the accreditation procedure.

Continuous improvements

Based on a comprehensive self-evaluation process, WU documented and traced its development during the 5 years that have passed since its initial accreditation. In the fall of 2020, 3 international experts carried out the peer review visit to assess WU’s progress first-hand. Due to the Covid pandemic, the peer review visit was held in a fully digital format. The reviewers were particularly impressed with WU’s performance in dealing with the pandemic, its leadership and governance structures, characterized by clear agendas, and its commitment to being a responsible university. With this successful reaccreditation, WU shows that it continues to push ahead with its long-term internationalization strategy and is firmly committed to its goal of being one of Europe’s leading universities for business and economics. WU Rector Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger says about the successful reaccreditation, “WU participates in such evaluation proceedings on a regular basis to make sure that the quality of WU’s research and teaching activities is assessed and certified by external parties, based on international standards. The latest AACSB reaccreditation is the result of our constant work to further develop and improve WU’s quality standards and academic programs on a continuous basis. Of course this also benefits our students and graduates, because it ensures that a WU degree is highly regarded around the world.”

An exclusive circle of leading global business schools

There are 3 major accreditations for internationally renowned business schools: EQUIS (EFMD Quality Improvement System), the program-centered AMBA (Association of MBAs) accreditation, and AACSB. While EQUIS and AMBA play an important role primarily in Europe and Asia, AACSB is highly regarded in the Anglo-American region. All of these 3 international accreditations certify that holders meet the highest quality standards in teaching and research. Accredited business schools are held in high regard in the international community and are considered attractive places to work and study by highly qualified researchers, faculty, and students. WU has held EQUIS accreditation since 2007. This accreditation was renewed successfully for another 5-year period in 2018. The MBA programs offered by the WU Executive Academy have been AMBA-accredited since 2010. In 2015, WU obtained its AACSB accreditation. With these 3 accreditations, WU is part of an exclusive group of business schools that can claim the rare and sought-after “triple crown accreditation,” held by fewer than 1% of all business and economics universities worldwide and only 7 universities in the German-speaking region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland).