European and U.S. Accreditation Standards and Globalization: View from a U.S. Regional Public Business School

Abstract

Business schools around the world are seeking partner relationships that will support the growing need for well-educated business professionals. The dilemma for many U.S. regional business schools is the trade-off between establishing international partnerships while ensuring educational integrity through quality assurance. This assurance can be measured by standards set by various international accreditation agencies. This article uses a case analysis to track one regional business school’s approach to bridging the perceived paradox of globalization and accreditation. The article explores issues of transfer credit, short-term and long-term relationships, and the differences between international affiliations and international partnerships. It provides candid insight into the difficult decisions faced by a regional public business school that could readily provide application for public, private, and small- to mid-size business schools facing similar issues.

Keywords:

• Accreditation
• International partnerships
• Globalization

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rebecca I. Porterfield

Rebecca I. Porterfield is currently serving as the Dean of the Haile/US Bank College of Business at Northern Kentucky University. During her tenure at UNCW, she served as Chair, Associate Dean, Associate Vice Chancellor, and as International Program Director. As the International Program Director, she led the Cameron School of Business (CSB) international activities for over 15 years, creating and sustaining dual degree programs at both the bachelor and master’s level and increasing student exchange to 15 percent and faculty exchange to 60 percent of the CSB. She also served as co-lead and founder of the Transatlantic Business School Alliance (founded in 1996) and the International School Alliance (since 2003).

Lawrence Clark

Lawrence Clark is Chancellor at Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Previously, Mr. Clark served as a business school dean at three different universities, including at the Cameron School of Business at the University of North Carolina Wilmington from 2000 through June, 2014. Besides being involved with extensive school-related global interactions at UNCW, Mr. Clark has had personal global involvement with matters associated with China, Finland, and Russia.

Robert J. Keating

Robert J. Keating is an Associate Professor of Management at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He has been a founding member of the International Curriculum Committee that has guided the Cameron School through its international development. He currently serves as the faculty representative to Australian and New Zealand schools.