The College of Business and Accountancy (CBA) of LPU – Laguna became a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in July 2013. Prior to CBA’s membership, there were only three AACSB members in the Philippines: Asian Institute of Management, UST Graduate School, and Ateneo Graduate School of Business. CBA then became the 4th AACSB member school in the Philippines. But the other three members at that time were all graduate schools of business. Hence, CBA distinguishes itself as the 1st undergraduate business school in the Philippines that embraced AACSB membership. Currently, six schools in the Philippines are members of AACSB: AIM, UST Graduate School, LPU – Laguna College of Business and Accountancy, LPU – Batangas College of Business Administration, TIP College of Business Education, and DLSU Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business
In 1916, a group of colleges and universities in the United States founded the Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (ACSB) in order to raise the standards of business education. (see side box) In 1927, ACSB changed its name to American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1968, AACSB accredited its first business school outside the United States, the University of Alberta. 1997 AACSB changed its name to Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. As of July 2015, AACSB has more than 1,400 members in 90 countries and territories, making it the largest management education network in the world. 740 of the world’s top business schools are accredited by AACSB.
There are at least five large organizations engaged in the business of accrediting business schools and raising the standards of business education worldwide. These are International Assembly for Business Education, Accrediting Council for Business Schools and Programs, EQUIS – EFMD, AMBA, and AACSB. After a careful evaluation followed by several re-evaluations, LPU – Laguna management in July 2013 decided to be associated with AACSB as a member and prospective accredited business school.
The benefits derived from AACSB membership are numerous. Faculty and students of member schools may access the knowledge hub of AACSB. This knowledge hub is an excellent source for the latest data, scholarly studies/research, insights, and resources relating to management education. AACSB International maintains the most comprehensive database on business schools in the world. The database has tables, charts, and references designed to respond to frequent data requests, and provide a general overview of management education worldwide. AACSB resources include Financial Toolkit, Curriculum Portal, Business School Facilities, Country Profile Project, Effective Practices of Member Schools, Business School Donation Tracking, and Call for Volunteers.
AACSB members have access to private online networking, affinity groups, social media, customizable data, detailed reports on business schools, collaborations and partnerships, conferences, seminars, webinars and online training, BizEd magazine, AACSB Link, AACSB Explores, Global Salary Data, BizSchoolJobs.com, classified advertising, exhibitions and sponsorships, and Business Services Directory.
LPU – Laguna CBA’s goal is to be an accredited business school not only by Philippine accrediting organizations (PAASCU and PACUCOA) but by AACSB International. While in the pursuit of this goal, the college is an aspirant and as such it will continuously strive to meet, if not surpass, the minimum standards set by AACSB. As an aspirant, CBA faculty and students will reap the benefits of quality education delivered by a dynamic and vibrant business school that is preparing to be judged using the highest criteria in the international arena.
Founding members of AACSB:
- Yale University
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
- Harvard University
- New York University
- Northwestern University
- Ohio State University
- Tulane University
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Texas at Austin
- University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Cornell University
-by: Dr. Philip G. Balingit Jr.
