McMaster University maintains prestigious AACSB International business accreditation

The DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University has renewed its business accreditation by AACSB International - the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Founded in 1916, AACSB International is the longest serving global accrediting body for business schools that offer undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in business and accounting.

Only 607 schools of business, or less than 5% worldwide, have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education.

McMaster first earned accreditation from AACSB in 2006.

"The decision to maintain McMaster's accreditation affirms the high quality of DeGroote's undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs, its faculty and staff, and its excellence as a teaching school," says former DeGroote Dean Paul Bates. "Accreditation confirms DeGroote as a world class business school and contributes to the global reputation of McMaster and DeGroote."

To maintain accreditation a business program must undergo a rigorous internal review every five years, at which the program must demonstrate its continued commitment to the 21 quality standards relating to faculty qualification, strategic management of resources, interactions of faculty and students, as well as a commitment to continuous improvement and achievement of learning goals in degree programs.

"It takes a great deal of self-evaluation and determination to earn and maintain AACSB accreditation," said Jerry Trapnell, vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools not only must meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculty, and staff must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure continued delivery of high-quality education to students."

McMaster's achievement will be recognized in April at the AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting in New York City.