RADFORD – The Radford University College of Business and Economics (COBE) has maintained 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.

AACSB accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education and has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business schools. Today, there are 567 business schools in 33 countries that maintain AACSB accreditation. Similarly, 171 institutions now maintain an additional specialized AACSB accreditation for their accounting programs.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for our dedicated faculty, staff and students, and I would like to commend and thank my colleagues for their hard work to ensure we achieved this remarkable honor,” said Faye Gilbert, dean of COBE. “Our re-accreditation by the AACSB only emphasizes RU’s commitment to cultivate a high quality, challenging and rigorous academic environment. Additionally, this announcement underlines RU’s goal set forth in its 7-17 strategic plan to become one of the nation’s leading public comprehensive institutions.”

COBE is dedicated to providing an active learning environment focused on developing responsible business professionals who can work collaboratively to compete in a dynamic global economy. Most COBE undergraduates are from Virginia and are full-time students of traditional college age. COBE graduate students represent a diverse mixture of students who are in the workplace, recent graduates from undergraduate programs and international students from a wide variety of countries.

AACSB International consists of more than 1,100 educational institutions, business and other organizations in 70 countries that are dedicated to the advancement of management education worldwide.

"AACSB commends the faculty, deans, directors, and administrative staffs of each institution for their exemplary work in helping their schools earn the highest honor in business school accreditation," said John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. "We are delighted to welcome the newly AACSB accredited schools, and send our congratulations to those that have maintained their accreditation."

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation and adjustment and can take several years to complete. During these years, the school develops and implements a plan to meet 21 AACSB standards requiring a high quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement and curricula responsive to the needs of business.

"It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn and maintain AACSB accreditation," said Jerry Trapnell, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools not only must meet specific standards of excellence, but their deans, faculties and staffs make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high quality education to students."

Other universities that have earned their maintenance of accreditation in business include Boston College, Case Western Reserve University, Cornell University, New York University, The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Notre Dame.

To learn more about the Radford University College of Business and Economics, visit http://cobe-web.asp.radford.edu/ or call (540) 831-5187. To learn more about AACSB International, visit http://www.aacsb.edu.