Curtin Sarawak celebrates attainment of AACSB accreditation

Miri – 9 May 2016 – Staff and students of the Faculty of Business at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) got together to celebrate the Faculty’s attainment of accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) with a luncheon recently.

Present to congratulate on their achievement them were Curtin Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski, Dean of the Faculty of Business Professor Jonathan Winterton and management staff of the university.

The Faculty of Business at Curtin Sarawak has now joined the world’s elite business institutions following approval of accreditation by the AACSB of its parent Curtin Business School (CBS) at Curtin University on 14 April 2016.

As part of Curtin University’s largest international campus offering identical business programmes and course delivery as the CBS, the Curtin Sarawak Faculty of Business underwent the same AACSB peer review for accreditation as Curtin’s other campuses in Perth and Singapore.

The AASCB is the leading international accreditation body for business schools and AACSB accreditation requires institutions to demonstrate that they deliver on their mission, be high quality in all they do, and be committed to continuous improvement.

Having met the AACSB strict standards of quality academic and professional excellence, the Faculty of Business of Curtin Sarawak can assure students and alumni that they will benefit from holding qualifications from an institution that is internationally accredited.

In thanking the staff and students involved in the accreditation process, Professor Winterton said they should be proud of being in the five per cent of the world’s universities, as well as the first university in East Malaysia and one of only 14 in ASEAN, that are AACSB accredited.

Having AACSB accreditation adds value to the Curtin qualifications that students earn at the Curtin Sarawak Faculty of Business and opens doors for more international collaboration, he added.

According to Professor Winterton, AACSB accredited institutions are internationally recognised for the high quality of their courses and for producing high quality graduates, and are better able to recruit and retain the best academic staff.

They are also market and internationally focused, as well as challenging and rigorous, and teach the best skills that give their graduates a distinct advantage in the real world.

Graduates of AACSB institutions can leverage the AACSB accreditation, its prestige and the international recognition of their institution and degrees. They are also internationally recognised by top employers and will find that graduating from an AACSB accredited institution helps them gain entry to graduate courses at other AACSB accredited institutions internationally.

It is also frequently said that graduates of AACSB accredited institutions have improved access to high-end international recruiters, are more international in outlook, and according to data in the United States, receive higher salaries.

Adding to Professor Winterton’s comments, Professor Mienczakowski said the accreditation of the university and its courses is an ongoing process and a necessity to enhance its reputation and quality management, and time and time again, staff and students of Curtin Sarawak have contributed wholeheartedly and helped bring the university forward.

He commended the staff and students of the Faculty of Business for their perseverance through the lengthy and rigorous process of accreditation, and expressed confidence that as the university embarks on EQUIS accreditation, the other major international accreditation with the European Foundation for Management Development, they will rise to the challenge again.

During the luncheon, ten students of the Faculty were presented certificates of appreciation for their contribution to the accreditation process by Professor Mienczakowski.

Professor Winterton and Professor Mienczakowski (4th & 5th left, top row) pose for a celebratory photo with staff and students.