Georgia Southwestern's College of Business and Computing renews prestigious AACSB Business Accreditation

by Chelsea Collins

Americus, GA (08/24/2020) — Georgia Southwestern State University's (GSW) College of Business and Computing (COBAC) has maintained its business accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International. 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.

"Over the last 10 years, the College of Business and Computing has strived to develop innovative ways to engage our students, support our faculty, and continuously improve the educational experience we provide," said Gaynor Cheokas, DBA, interim dean of the College of Business and Education. "We are dedicated to delivering high-quality business and computing education that meets the needs of our students, community partners, and future business trends. This was a team effort, and I am so proud of everyone's hard work and support in helping achieve this distinction."

AACSB Accreditation is the hallmark of excellence in business education. Today, there are 870 business schools in 57 countries and territories that maintain AACSB Accreditation.

Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal focus, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and peer-reviewed evaluation. During this multiyear path, schools focus on developing and implementing a plan to align with AACSB's accreditation standards. These standards require excellence in areas relating to strategic management and innovation; student, faculty, and staff as active participants; learning and teaching; and academic and professional engagement. Once accreditation is achieved, each institution participates in a five-year continuous improvement peer-review to maintain high quality and extend its accreditation.

Liz Wilson, Ph.D., recently retired dean of the College of Business and Computing, said she can now "officially retire in peace" after seeing this last accreditation process through to completion.

Already fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Georgia Southwestern initially earned AASCB accreditation in 2009 with a renewal in 2015. This most recent renewal will last through the 2023-2024 academic year.

"AACSB congratulates each institution on their achievement," said Stephanie M. Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB. "Every AACSB-accredited school has demonstrated a focus on excellence in all areas, including teaching, research, curricula development, and student learning. The intense peer-review process exemplifies their commitment to quality business education."

The College of Business and Computing has some of the most recognized and top-ranked programs not only in the state, but in the nation. In addition to being named one of the 2019 Top 10 Best Business Programs in America, other popular accolades received each year include "most affordable," "best value" and "best online degree programs." The AACSB accreditation is additionally valuable to COBAC's online programs because it shows students the online programs meet the same strict standards as on-campus programs.

To learn more about GSW's business programs, visit gsw.edu/COBAC.

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