AACSB Journey

INCEIF University AACSB International Accreditation:
The Journey And Progress Timeline

About AACSB

What is AACSB?
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is a prestigious US-based accrediting body for business schools worldwide. Accreditation by AACSB signifies international recognition of high standards in education, continuous improvement, and excellence. Less than 6% of over 16,000 business schools globally have earned this accreditation. INCEIF University joined this elite group in 2018.

AACSB Worldwide
AACSB International, the oldest global accrediting body for business schools, connects students, academics, and businesses worldwide. As of August 2023, 1,004 business schools across 60+ countries have earned AACSB Accreditation.

This count of accredited schools represents approximately 6% of the estimated number of schools offering business degrees worldwide.

Source: AACSB State of Accreditation Report 2023

AACSB Standards

AACSB accreditation requires alignment with nine standards across three categories:

Strategic Management and Innovation:

Standard 1: Strategic Planning

The school maintains a well-documented strategic plan, developed through a robust and collaborative planning process involving key stakeholder input, that informs the school on resource allocation priorities. The strategic plan should also articulate a clear and focused mission for the school.

Standard 1: Strategic Planning

Standard 2: Physical, Virtual, and Financial Resources

The school manages its physical, virtual, and financial resources to sustain the school on an ongoing basis and to promote a high-quality environment that fosters success of all participants in support of the school’s mission, strategies, and expected outcomes.

Standard 2: Physical, Virtual, and Financial Resources

Standard 3: Faculty and Professional Staff Resources

The school maintains and strategically deploys sufficient participating and supporting faculty who collectively demonstrate significant academic and professional engagement that, in turn, supports high-quality outcomes consistent with the school’s mission.

Standard 3: Faculty and Professional Staff Resources

Learner Success:

Standard 4: Curriculum

The school delivers content that is current, relevant, forward-looking, globally oriented, aligned with program competency goals, and consistent with its mission, strategies, and expected outcomes. The curriculum content cultivates agility with current and emerging technologies.

Standard 4: Curriculum

Standard 5: Assurance of Learning

The school uses well-documented assurance of learning (AoL) processes that include direct and indirect measures for ensuring the quality of all degree programs that are deemed in scope for accreditation purposes. The results of the school’s AoL work leads to curricular and process improvements.

Standard 5: Assurance of Learning

Standard 6: Learner Progression

The school has policies and procedures for admissions, acceptance of transfer credit, academic progression toward degree completion, and support for career development that are clear, effective, consistently applied, and aligned with the school’s mission, strategies, and expected outcomes.

Standard 6: Learner Progression

Standard 7: Teaching Effectiveness

The school has a systematic, multi-measure assessment process for ensuring quality of teaching and impact on learner success.

Standard 7: Teaching Effectiveness

Thought Leadership, Engagement, and Societal Impact:

Standard 8: Impact of Scholarship

The school’s faculty collectively produce high-quality, impactful intellectual contributions that, over time, develop into mission-consistent areas of thought leadership for the school.

Standard 8: Impact of Scholarship

Standard 9: Engagement and Societal Impact

The school demonstrates positive societal impact through internal and external initiatives and/or activities, consistent with the school’s mission, strategies, and expected outcomes.

Standard 9: Engagement and Societal Impact

For more details on each of the standards refer to: AACSB Business Accreditation Standards

What does AACSB Accreditation mean to INCEIF University?

Our AACSB accreditation is recognition at an international level that we have met specific and recognisable standards of excellence. It also sends a clear signal that the dean, faculty and professional staff have made a commitment to continuous improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver the highest quality of education.

AACSB Accreditation brings significant benefits for INCEIF University including:

Proves our commitment to quality and continuous improvement to stakeholders.

Produces graduates who have achieved specific learning goals and competencies.

Ensures currency of curricula and importance of quality teaching.

Provides opportunities to access new international markets.

Facilitates access to high quality Malaysian and international partners for research, degree programmes and other collaborative activities.

What is the Accreditation Process?

  • The AACSB has outlined the rigorous accreditation process in a step-by-step guide,which can be found by visiting: AACSB Accreditation Process
  • The AACSB implements the Accreditation process by assigning a Peer Review Team who will visit and assess INCEIF University. The Peer Review Team is key to the final decision which is reviewed by the Accreditation committee and AACSB Board of Directors.

When did INCEIF University Achieve Accreditation?

  • INCEIF University was originally awarded Business Accreditation on 21st November 2018. Accreditation lasts for a period of 5 years.  In June 2024, INCEIF University will undergo a Continuous Improvement Review (CIR) with AACSB.
  • The CIR process is conducted every five years, creating an ongoing focus on continuous improvement. This signals that an AACSB-accredited institution has documented continuous improvements in support of its stated mission and strategic management plan to sustain AACSB accreditation status.

The Continuous Improvement Review
(CIR) Process

The AACSB Continuous Improvement Review (CIR) process emphasises ongoing enhancement and development. This ensures that an AACSB-accredited institution continuously meets the standards required to sustain its accreditation status.

 

After achieving our AACSB accreditation, we have focused on continuously improving our programmes and operations. This dedication to enhancement allows us to maintain our accreditation and uphold our reputation as a preferred university for scholars around the world.

2018

Achieved International AACSB Accreditation in business for five years.

2019

  • Revised INCEIF Strategic Plan resulting in SP 2020-2024
  • Action-Based Learning course initiated
  • Developed blueprints for all programmes in line with national quality requirements (MQA)
  • Revised course learning outcomes and assessment plans
  • Revised assessment rubrics
  • Conducted faculty training

2020

  • Transitioned all face-to-face courses to online due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Launched the Executive Programme in Islamic Finance
  • Launched the MBA (Sustainable Business) Programme
  • Restructured the MIFP and Industrial PhD programmes

2021

  • Launched MICRA platform for short courses in IF
  • CIR Application submitted
  • Improved AOL Process in line with AACSB standard 2020
  • Consolidation of ISRA–IICSB with INCEIF.

2022

  • Relocated to a New Campus in Kuala Lumpur, near Bank Negara Malaysia.
  • Established the Centre of Excellence –Islamic Social Finance
  • Changed the name to INCEIF University

2023

  • Preparation of the Continuous Improvement Review report.
  • Obtained approval of the MBA revised structure by the MQA.

2024

  • Submit CIR Report: 24th April 2024
  • Peer Review Team Visit: 23rd-25th June 2024
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Impact of AACSB Accreditation

Since the beginning of the AACSB accreditation initiative in 2012, INCEIF University has witnessed significant benefits on several fronts.