Read more coverage of the business school's premier accreditation in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Fort Worth Business Press.

Texas Wesleyan's School of Business Administration has achieved accreditation by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International.

AACSB is the premier accreditor of business schools in the world and is the hallmark of excellence in business education. AACSB accreditation has been earned by less than five percent of the world's business programs.

"AACSB accreditation validates the high quality of education we provide our students and affirms that Texas Wesleyan's School of Business Administration stands among the top schools for business education in the world," Texas Wesleyan University President Frederick G. Slabach said. "We are extremely proud of what this accomplishment means for our students, faculty, alumni, Fort Worth and the entire North Texas community."

This is Texas Wesleyan's initial accreditation and it must be renewed every five years.

A commitment to excellence

"It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn AACSB accreditation," said Robert D. Reid, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB International. "The business school must not only meet specific standards of excellence, but the faculty and staff must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that Texas Wesleyan's business school continues to deliver the highest quality of education to students."

Hector Quintanilla, Ph.D., dean of the School of Business Administration, says the accreditation will drive increased awareness of the school within the business community and attract students — on local, national and international levels.

"This is a great achievement for our school and a great asset for Fort Worth," Quintanilla said. "Businesses understand the value of AACSB accredited programs and look for it when interviewing candidates or sending employees back to school to further their education."

"We also know that domestic and international students are looking for business schools with AACSB accreditation because of the quality education it assures and the edge it gives them in today's job market."

Moving toward the 2020 Vision

AACSB accreditation provides Texas Wesleyan students with access to thought leadership programs across the world. The curriculum is dedicated to engaging students directly with the needs of businesses in the community and developing innovative thinking skills that will positively impact those businesses.

Slabach and Quintanilla say the accreditation is a part of Texas Wesleyan's 2020 Vision — a vision for the university that builds on their intentionally small class sizes and clear focus on retaining knowledgeable faculty dedicated to student learning and critical thinking.

"Our next steps, as we look toward the goals of our 2020 Vision, will be to offer more executive education and online/hybrid MBA programs," Quintanilla said. "The landscape of higher education is constantly evolving and Texas Wesleyan is focused on meeting the needs of today's — and tomorrow's — students."

AACSB accreditation for the School of Business Administration comes just months after Texas Wesleyan's reaffirmation of accreditation from The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the highest possible accreditation for the university.

"This achievement is another mark that Texas Wesleyan is transforming in to one of the very top private universities in Texas," Slabach said.