Accreditation from AACSB is one of the highest standards of achievement for business schools, achieved by fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide, and the Asper School has been accredited since 1999. With this latest extension, the Asper School of Business will remain accredited until 2029.

“This announcement is exceptional news for the Asper School of Business,” says Dean Bruno Silvestre. “AACSB accreditation reflects our commitment to offering exceptional business education to students in Manitoba with a focus on pursuing continuous improvement and making a positive societal impact. It is an achievement shared by every member of the Asper School of Business community, and it empowers us to continue generating cutting-edge research in business and training the leaders of tomorrow.”

AACSB assesses school progress across nine guiding principles and standards for business accreditation, emphasizing engagement, innovation and impact. Every five to six years, accredited schools compile a continuous improvement review reporting their progress in strategic management, learner success, and thought leadership, engagement, and societal impact.

Schools are then assessed by a peer-review team (PRT) of fellow business school deans. When the PRT visited the Drake Centre in March, faculty and staff at the Asper School of Business showed up proudly.

The PRT commended the various and diverse experiential learning opportunities available at the Asper School of Business, highlighting the hundreds of students who participated in case and pitch competitions during the year of record. They also cited the impressive 25% of undergraduates who participate in the Asper Co-op Program, mentioning the School’s high placement and employment rates.

Above all, the PRT praised the Asper School of Business’ connection to the business community, emphasizing the role of The Associates of the Asper School of Business, a network of over 550 business leaders dedicated to advancing business education in Manitoba.

In their final report, the PRT wrote, “Through the Associates program, the support of entrepreneurship, and many partnerships with industry, Asper is serving as the premiere talent pipeline to industry in the Winnipeg area. In so doing, they are contributing to critical workforce needs throughout the province.”

For Silvestre, this feedback represents far more than a successful months-long review process.

“The wonderful feedback we received from the PRT is indicative of the energy, passion and pride that every Asper School of Business staff and faculty member puts into their work, every single day. Our people are fiercely dedicated to supporting student success, and this achievement reflects years of their dedication and service. I am so grateful for the incredible work done by all our staff, faculty, students, alumni and supporters, with a special thank you to The Associates.” says Silvestre.

This extended accreditation from AACSB will kick off the Asper School of Business’ strategic planning process, as the newest AACSB standard (societal impact) will be formalized since its introduction in 2020. The School will focus its commitment to making a positive societal impact on Indigenous Reconciliation, EDI and sustainability.

Says Silvestre, “the Asper School of Business has been working meaningfully to advance these three areas of focus for societal impact—Indigenous Reconciliation, EDI and sustainability—in multiple ways through curriculum development, research advancements and engagement. These topics are interconnected and inseparable from our mission to provide business education for a better world and to train leaders who will make a difference.”

As an AACSB-accredited school, the Asper School of Business is part of a prestigious global community of business educators. Read AACSB’s official announcement here.

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Each year, the Asper School of Business tracks key metrics for success across units and departments. Readers are welcome to learn more in this year’s Business Case Competitions Impact Report and Employment Report.

ACCA is the world’s largest professional accountancy body with over 233,000 members in 178 countries. By earning accreditation from ACCA, Asper joins a community of more than 900 universities across the globe, accessing a vast employer and accountancy network.

International reach, local excellence

Steven Zheng, professor and head of the accounting & finance department at Asper, explains why the School pursued this accreditation.

“We strive to serve our diverse student population by offering more high-level career pathways and opportunities,” he says.

“Asper welcomes many international students who may return to their home country to work. There are also Canadian students who want to explore opportunities overseas. By receiving ACCA accreditation, we are giving all students the chance to pursue an internationally recognized qualification and elevate their professional skills.”

Seven Asper courses are now accredited by ACCA. If Bachelor of Commerce students wish to pursue their ACCA accreditation, they will now be able to receive seven course and exam exemptions from ACCA while completing required credits for their BComm. The School will continue to work closely with ACCA to accredit two additional accounting courses in the new year, achieving the maximum number of ACCA exemptions and allowing students who pursue their ACCA designation to advance further and save even more time.

Zheng emphasizes the contributions this development makes to business here in Manitoba. “This is great news for local firms. Many businesses in Manitoba are international in scope. As ACCAs, our graduates working in international business relations with overseas clients will have an advantage as well-rounded, adaptable accounting professionals trained in ACCA standards.”

Expanding career paths

“ACCA is recognized globally and is a standard in the accounting profession for many international businesses,” adds Zheng. “By offering this new accreditation in addition to our longstanding CPA accreditation, we are offering students more options and further enriching course content further.”

Asper courses have been accredited by CPA Canada since it was established in 2013. This partnership allows BComm accounting students to enter directly into its Professional Education Program. CPA Canada is the premier national credential for professional careers in accounting and business, while ACCA offers a more international reach. Zheng highlights how Asper grads have benefitted greatly from early engagement with CPA-accredited courses. “Our students’ pass rate for the CPA final exam has consistently been higher than the national average.”

Noting the School’s impressive record of CPA graduates and the department’s commitment to continued growth and adaptation, Zheng sees this latest accreditation with ACCA as the beginning of a productive partnership of accounting professionals committed to excellence, thought leadership and accountancy for a better world.

Thank you to everyone involved in the preparation of the self-evaluation report and/or meeting with the review team in May. Your feedback and support were extremely important for the outcome of this effort.

Engineers Canada, through the CEAB, accredits Canadian engineering undergraduate programs. Students who receive a degree from an accredited engineering program meet the academic requirements needed to become a licensed Professional Engineer with Canada’s engineering regulators and, through an international agreement, in nineteen other countries. The CEAB sets national criteria for engineering accreditation to ensure that Canada’s professional engineering standards remain amongst the best in the world. The board is comprised of volunteer members that are senior engineering practitioners from academia, the public sector, and private industry. The CEAB accreditation process involves review of extensive documentation associated with both program inputs and outcomes, and an accreditation team visit to the Faculty to evaluate facilities, and meet students, staff, faculty and leadership of the engineering community. 

 “This is the best possible outcome that reaffirms what we already know about our engineering programs; we have outstanding programs, facilities, students, faculty and staff. I take this opportunity to thank the large number of people in our Faculty that contributed to this excellent outcome.” 
             –Dean Jonathan Beddoes

The Faculty’s next accreditation review will take place in 2024/25.

Accreditation is the public recognition accorded to a professional program that meets established professional qualifications and educational standards. Accreditation typically requires a self-evaluation on the part of the institution, followed by a site visit and review conducted by a team representing the CACB.  A full six-year accreditation is the maximum period that a program can be granted accreditation.

The Faculty wishes to acknowledge the substantial efforts of Lisa Landrum, Associate Dean (Research), and Carlos Rueda, Head of the Department of Architecture, along with the staff and students who participated in this very important process.    

The 2018 CACB Visiting Team Report (VTR) and the 2017 Architecture Program Report (APR) may be downloaded from the CACB website.