AACSB Names Juliane Iannarelli as its Chief Diversity and Inclusion Advocate

Through its Business Education Alliance—or membership network—AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 partner institutions or organizations, and 796 accredited business schools worldwide. As such, it is ideally positioned to help business schools address diversity and inclusion as part of their commitment to social responsibility and continuous improvement.

"Diversity and inclusion are central to addressing global challenges and driving prosperity," said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB. "Business schools and industry must be equipped to cultivate the skills, mindset, and perspectives that enable individuals to work effectively with diverse groups of people, value different perspectives, and seek collaborative solutions. Juliane's commitment to research and evidence-based solutions reflects a crucial level of expertise, experience, and inquiry that AACSB needs to carry this important work forward."

In her new role, Iannarelli will lead the organization's efforts to drive awareness of diversity and inclusion issues and effective practices, foster a data- and research-driven approach to support diversity and inclusion globally, and explore and develop partnerships that enhance these perspectives in the business education ecosystem. The new position will also complement Iannarelli's current focus and responsibilities of developing business education intelligence for AACSB and the broader stakeholder network. Her 13 years with AACSB have also included roles as an accreditation manager and lead researcher for numerous global thought leadership reports.

"I am intrigued by the many ways in which diversity is measured throughout the world, and am proud that AACSB encourages our global membership to think broadly about diversity and what it means within specific cultural contexts," said Iannarelli. "It is energizing to see that across all contexts there is a shared desire to understand how business schools and business can not only best achieve diverse teams, but can also cultivate the inclusive environments, empathy, and interactions that are good for business and society. I look forward to being part of such important efforts."

Over the years, AACSB has worked to advance diversity and inclusion within the organization, its member schools, and the global business community. Through its highly sought after accreditation processes, the organization reinforces that diversity in people and ideas is a universal, fundamental element of quality business education. Recent updates to its standards for accreditation reinforce the notion that celebrating differences in people and ideas—while providing a safe and supportive environment—enhances the educational experience in every business program, and serve as requirement for schools to demonstrate during their recurring quality assurance reviews.

AACSB further promotes the value of diversity through support for initiatives such as The PhD Project, the Women Administrators in Management Education Affinity Group, the PhD Pipeline Program, and the Forté Foundation, as well as its 2015 best practices partnership with the White House and more than 150 deans and business leaders. As a co-convener of the Principles for Responsible Management Education, a strategic partner of the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative, and author of the Collective Vision for Business Education, AACSB challenges global business schools to examine their relationship to society, the business community, and the higher education landscape.

Looking to the future, AACSB will host its inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Summit on November 9, 2017, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. This one-day event will help attendees explore and uncover processes and policies at their institutions in which unconscious bias is a barrier to inclusion and diversity objectives; gain ideas for new programs and initiatives; and identify data, tools, and talking points to assist them in the pursuit of inclusivity and diversity. 

For a more comprehensive understanding of AACSB's approach to diversity and inclusion, visit aacsb.edu/about/diversity.

About AACSB International 
As the world's largest business education alliance, AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) connects educators, students, and business to achieve a common goal: to create the next generation of great leaders. Synonymous with the highest standards of excellence since 1916, AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and professional development services to over 1,600 member organizations and 796 accredited business schools worldwide. With its global headquarters in Tampa, Florida, USA; Europe, Middle East, and Africa headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, AACSB's mission is to foster engagement, accelerate innovation, and amplify impact in business education. For more information, visit aacsb.edu.

SOURCE AACSB International

Related Links

http://www.aacsb.edu