AACSB International Chief Accreditation Officer Robert Reid to Retire in December 2017

TAMPA, Fla., April 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer at AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), has announced that he will retire in December 2017. Reid's decision marks the transition of his more than 30 years of service championing business education, of which the last five he has served as AACSB's executive vice president and chief accreditation officer.

"Bob has challenged AACSB to remain the global leader in business education, driving excellence in quality while expanding our connections across academe and business," said Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, chair of the board of directors of AACSB and president of IE Business School. "Throughout his tenure, Bob has continued to champion new programs and approaches while keeping AACSB grounded in its roots. His energy, passion, and knowledge is immeasurable, and business education is better as a result."

Under Reid's leadership, AACSB has continued to elevate its impact on business education through quality assurance and accreditation services, while inspiring schools to develop new ways of thinking as educators. Milestone achievements under Reid's collaborative leadership include:

• Notable growth and global representation of accredited schools: To date, 786 institutions across 53 countries and territories have earned AACSB Accreditation—an increase of more than 130 schools and nine additional countries in five years. Regionally, this represents an 84 percent growth for Asia Pacific; a 61 percent growth for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and a 7 percent growth for the Americas. 
• Launch of AACSB's landmark 2013 Accreditation Standards: Designed to encourage schools to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact, the 2013 standards redefined accreditation's role through the alignment of business education with practice. They also reinforce AACSB's long-held commitments to a mission-driven focus, quality scholarship, and accountability through the peer-review process.
• Completion of the AACSB 2020 Committee: Charged with recommending strategies to significantly increase AACSB's impact and value in the global education community, the 2020 Committee presented three recommendations—increase of regionalized services, expansion of AACSB's global capacity as a knowledge network, and focus on building capacity in emerging economies—each of which are in various levels of engagement and successful completion.
• Formation of the Committee on Accreditation Policy (CAP): Consisting of 15 business education thought leaders, CAP oversees accreditation standards, processes, and policies related to AACSB's accreditation and quality assurance services.
• Development of the Business Practice Council (BPC): Established as a partnership at the intersection of business and academe, the BPC provides insights into the current needs of business, helping to keep business education more relevant in preparing the next generation of global, impactful leaders.
• Establishment of the Accounting Accreditation Taskforce: In close collaboration with the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and thought leaders in accounting education, the task force is strengthening the value and impact of AACSB's Accounting Accreditation standards, with plans for release of an exposure draft of standards and processes in the fourth quarter of 2017.
• Streamlining of the Initial Accreditation, Continuous Improvement Review, and Accounting Accreditation Committee Meetings: By reorganizing the agenda and shifting some participation to virtual meetings, AACSB opened avenues for a more global representation within committees, reduced costs for the review process, and shortened the timeline between meetings, allowing for a faster and more timely response across all stages of the accreditation process. 

"It has been my honor to serve as the chief accreditation officer and to work collaboratively with business education leaders and outstanding staff globally," said Reid. "AACSB has established a strategic plan that will increase the impact of business education. I look forward to observing and supporting the future success of AACSB."

Reid's dedication to quality improvement extends over 15 years as a volunteer with AACSB. Across this time he has served as chair of the Maintenance of Accreditation Committee, a member of the Accreditation Coordinating Committee, and a member of AACSB's board of directors. As a contributor and presenter, Reid has served as a prominent speaker at more than 95 of AACSB's global conferences, seminars, or webinars. 

"Bob has served as an advisor to innumerable students and colleagues, sharing his enthusiasm and love of learning. His resolute focus on innovation and engagement and his unwavering commitment to the communities we serve has had a distinct effect on the organization and has impacted countless individuals beyond his reach," said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB. "We are grateful for his insightful, forward-thinking leadership and know his legacy will continue as we work to fulfill our mission."

Prior to joining AACSB in 2012, Reid served for 15 years as dean of the College of Business at James Madison University. As dean, Reid led a team of more than 150 faculty and staff recognized for excellence in curriculum innovation, particularly in the areas of program integration and experiential learning.

A confidential search has begun for Reid's successor. Interested candidates should contact Jennifer McIntosh, vice president and chief talent officer of AACSB, via email at [email protected] or visit BizSchoolJobs.com for more information on this search. 

About AACSB International

As the world's largest business education network connecting academe with business, AACSB provides business education intelligence, quality assurance, and professional development services to more than 1,500 member organizations across 97 countries and territories. Founded in 1916, AACSB Accreditation is the highest standard of quality in business education, with over 785 business schools accredited worldwide. AACSB's global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA; its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore; and its Europe, Middle East, and Africa headquarters is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.aacsb.edu.

SOURCE AACSB International

Related Links

http://www.aacsb.edu