On March 5, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) announced that the School of Management of Hefei University of Technology has earned AACSB accreditation for business education.
From November 13 to 15, 2023, a peer review team composed of Fikremaria Boghossian (Chair), Dean of School of Business and Management of Morgan State University, Professor Mao Jiyi from Renmin University of China, and Professor Yang Zhi, Dean of the School of Management of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, conducted a three-day on-site visit to the school. Yu Xiangcheng, Secretary of the Party Committee China of Hefei University of Technology, and Wu Huaqing, Vice President of Hefei University of Technology, attended the meeting with leadership and exit meeting, respectively. During the on-site visit, the PRT team conducted 12 in-depth discussions with leaders of the university and school, faculty representatives, administrative staff, alumni, and student representatives, with a total of 137 participants. The discussions covered various topics, including the school’s strategic plan, resource allocation, scientific research, faculty management and support, talent cultivation, continuous improvement of teaching quality, student development, and administrative facilities.
The PRT team fully affirmed the university's and school’s emphasis and support for the AACSB accreditation. They highly praised the work done by the school in alignment with AACSB accreditation standards and the progress achieved, believing that the school has met all assessment standards required for AACSB accreditation. They also provided constructive suggestions regarding the school's mission development, faculty diversity, and internationalization efforts.
Founded in 1916, AACSB is the oldest and most prestigious accreditation body for business schools globally and the largest business education alliance. Currently, only about 6% of institutions offering business education degree programs worldwide hold AACSB accreditation. Achieving this accreditation is an important indicator that business education has reached world-class standards.
Since its establishment in 1979, the School of Management has adhered to its roots in Chinese management practices and gradually formed a talent cultivation and discipline characteristic of “deep integration of modern management theories and methods with new-generation information technology”, making significant contributions to the country’s the advance of science and technology, national defense construction, and socio-economic development. In 2017, it entered the ranks of national "Double First-Class" construction.
In order to enhance the school’s internationalization and build a world-class management school, the school initiated the AACSB accreditation in 2016. After eight years of continuous efforts, it successfully passed various stages, including membership application, eligibility application, initial self-evaluation report (iSER), three rounds of progress reports, the final self-evaluation report (final SER), and the PRT visit. Achieving AACSB accreditation will improve the quality of the school’s development and accelerate the establishment of a “research-oriented, international, and distinctive” world-class management school.
(Written and illustrated by general offices / Review by Jiang Yuanchun)
