AACSB Accredidation - kellyashihara

AACSB visit with PRT Chair, Michael Ginzberg and Professor Hee Dong Yang at Ewha Women's University

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AACSB - Konkuk Vice Chair of Accreditation

Primary drafter for AACSB SER, initial accreditation report 22 sections, 270 pages (8 year process, 2014)
Accompanied Dean to Brisbane, Australia seminar (2015)
Drafter Continuous Impovement Report (CIR) 2018
Attended APAC regional conference in Nagoya (2018)
Authored and granted request for reevaluation of university (institutional) accreditation vs. business scool (unit) accreditation(2019)
Attended Singapore seminar on continuing education (2019)
Attended Seoul seminar on new standards (2020)
Primary writer CIR report for 5 year reaccreditation (2021)

AACSB Accreditation Journey

The journey to undertake and receive AACSB accreditation was a somewhat arduous process spanning seven years with rotating appointments of four deans and an equal number of AACSB and department chairs. Over that time period, commitment related to the relative merits of accreditation at the Konkuk university level support waned, especially in a cultural context as the value was difficult to materially quantify.

Despite real challenges and hurdles in the AACSB process, as time has passed, it has become increasingly apparent that the values of AACSB and processes are becoming more institutionalized and with that, AACSB has become an important part of KBS’ identity. The SER submission of AACSB led to the reevaluation of our mission. Since that time, KBS has established a vision and revised our core values to better reflect our institutional identity. Likewise, in the AOL process, our learning goals have become more integrated into our curriculum with improved assessment measures and increased faculty participation and engagement.

The process of receiving deferral and preparing for the PRT deferral visit was in hindsight a fortune, prompting us to reevaluate how our mission links with our vision, goals and strategic plan. Two consecutive PRT visits fostered a greater understanding led to further commitment by faculty to the values and standards endorsed by AACSB. As with many universities, at Konkuk Busines School the minds of faculty are not easily influenced as tenure is long and as the respective views of faculty are often deeply embedded in past experiences and departmental history. Given the individual nature of teaching and research, faculty are often sparring with their time and resist commitment to endeavors they don’t view as worthwhile.

AACSB has led to faculty engagement and deeper understanding of the relative merits and values AACSB seeks to convey, impacting how we measure and evaluate ourselves and disseminate knowledge – whether that includes meeting faculty sufficiency, implementing and implementing AOL processes or conduct research scholarship.

We have strived to develop programs and lead in a way that is both impactful at a faculty level and innovative through programs such as career development and mentorship to improve student employability. Faculty participation in AACSB conferences in Brisbane, Hague, Seoul, Nagoya and Singapore as well as revising our report by the new standards has further increased my engagement in the process and commitment to the values of AACSB.