The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) recently announced that SUES has successfully earned AACSB international business accreditation, following a recommendation by the Peer Review Team after its on-site visit, approval by the Initial Accreditation Committee, and final ratification by the Global Accreditation Committee. The achievement marks international recognition of the quality of business education at SUES and places it among a select group of business schools worldwide. Today, fewer than 6% of business schools worldwide hold AACSB accreditation; in mainland China, only 57 universities do—less than 2% of the higher education institutions.
AACSB accreditation is one of the most authoritative and influential accreditations in global business education and is widely regarded as a “gold standard” for business schools. For SUES, it provides an important benchmark for the quality of business education, academic strength, and internationalization, while representing a major step in advancing SUES’ goal of becoming a world-class university and building a first-class brand in business education. SUES made rapid progress through the accreditation process while pursuing an exceptionally broad scope compared with other local universities in China. The accreditation covers five degree programs—undergraduate programs in management studies covering 14 majors, undergraduate programs in economics covering two majors, an academic master’s program in management studies, an MBA program, and an MPA program—encompassing 27 areas of specialization and forming a comprehensive, multi-level framework for business accreditation.The accreditation journey began in 2018, when SUES launched preparations for AACSB accreditation. In August 2020, SUES officially became an AACSB member. In February 2021, it submitted its Eligibility Application (EA), which was accepted in April, establishing its eligibility for accreditation. In December 2023, SUES submitted its initial Self-Evaluation Report (iSER), which was accepted in February 2024. The first annual progress report was submitted in September 2024 and accepted in November. A second annual progress report followed in May 2025 and was accepted in July, allowing SUES to advance directly to preparations for the final on-site visit. In January 2026, SUES submitted its final Self-Evaluation Report (SER). Professor Chen, Chair of the Peer Review Team, conducted a pre-visit in March, followed by the formal on-site visit by the Peer Review Team in June 2026.
During the on-site visit, the Peer Review Team evaluated more than ten key areas, including strategic planning, faculty development, and assurance of learning. The team held in-depth discussions involving 139 faculty members, students, and alumni and visited SUES’ innovative laboratories featuring its distinctive “Engineering × Management × Design” approach. At the feedback meeting, the team spoke highly of SUES’ investment in business education and its achievements, as well as its interdisciplinary approach built on the university’s engineering strengths and Shanghai’s unique advantages. The team noted that SUES provides a valuable example of industry-education integration for business education worldwide.
With a history spanning more than a century, AACSB is a globally recognized authority in business education accreditation, known for its rigorous process and comprehensive standards. Earning AACSB accreditation marks a new starting point for the high-quality international development of business education at SUES. Guided by AACSB’s principle of continuous improvement, SUES will systematically translate the Peer Review Team’s feedback into reform initiatives, deepen the 3-wings interdisciplinary model, and advance the development of first-class business education. Through these efforts, SUES will contribute further to national and regional economic development and strengthen its presence on the international stage of business education.
