FSU is one of nine schools of business recently added to AACSB's roster of accredited institutions, bringing the total to only 515 internationally, fewer than 10 percent of schools worldwide that have achieved this designation.

"AACSB accredits excellence, rather than just requiring us to meet minimum standards," said FSU's dean of the College of Business, Dr. Danny Arnold. "It's an external validation of quality."

“AACSB accreditation represents the highest achievement for an educational institution involved in management education,” adds John J. Fernandes, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. “The faculties, deans, directors and administrative staffs of our newly accredited schools are to be commended for their role in earning initial accreditation.”

Accreditation with AACSB International involves applicant schools undergoing meticulous internal review, evaluation and adjustment – a process that can take from three to seven years. During this period, schools develop and implement a plan intended to meet the 21 AACSB standards that ensure high quality of management education. FSU's business faculty toiled for the past five years through the candidacy process to achieve accreditation, and worked the previous five years to qualify for candidacy, Arnold said. The College of Business made changes over the past years in everything from its vision statements, to its curriculum to its methods of evaluating students.

"Dean Arnold and the faculty, students and staff of the College of Business have demonstrated levels of excellence that have earned them this coveted distinction," said Dr. Catherine R. Gira, FSU President. "The University is indebted to them for their dedication and leadership."

"Earning AACSB accreditation requires a great deal of dedication from the entire educational institution," said Jerry Trapnell, chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "Schools that go through the process not only meet a multitude of standards of excellence, but also make a commitment to continuous improvement. Every five years they will be required to undergo a rigorous peer review to maintain their accreditation."