ACCREDITATION OF INDIAN B SCHOOLS FOR ASSURING QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Transcription

1 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: ACCREDITATION OF INDIAN B SCHOOLS FOR ASSURING QUALITY AND EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION Dr. K. ABDUS SAMAD Director, Jamal Institute of Management, Jamal Mohamed College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli , directorjim.jmc@gmail.com R. THIYAGARAJAN Research Scholar, Jamal Institute of Management, Jamal Mohamed College (Autonomous), Tiruchirappalli , thiyagugr@gmail.com Abstract Accreditation is seen as an independent process whereby the quality of an institution or programme is assessed and assured by the accrediting bodies, if found to meet the norms and standards of the accrediting agency. Apart from meeting the minimum norms and standards, institutions must achieve certain quality standards as prescribed by the accreditation body. Accreditation is an extensive quality control process normally carried out by teams of professional assessors assisted by senior management from other Management Schools. The primary objectives of the accreditation bodies both national and international may differ from one another. Accreditation has become the most differentiating quality factor in determining the value of an institution. The objective of this paper is to analyse accreditation of management educational institutions. This paper elaborates the concept of Accreditation, growth of Accreditation in Management education and highlights the national and international bodies of accreditation. The future of accreditation is discussed in detail with the list of institutions that have international accreditation in India. Keywords - Accreditation, National Accreditation, International Accreditation, Triple Accreditation, Quality Assurance I. INTRODUCTION The Management Education industry in India is becoming challenging every year. In order to stand out in the cutthroat competition of Business Schools in our country, many are striving to exhibit their quality and showcase their competitive advantages. The growing preferences and awareness also demand the B Schools to update their facilities to attract quality students and meet out their expectations. The present generation is technology savvy and well informed of the facts in selecting the B School. The students can compare and evaluate the credentials of an institution by online information available. Only those institutions that offer a better quality can sustain and survive in the long run. The quest for quality is a never ending process, as it keeps changing and developing day by day. An institution with AICTE approval was initially seen as a quality indicator then it was the stage of national accreditation by National Board of Accreditation (NBA) and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The present scenario is that the leading institutions are opting for international accreditation to raise their standards globally and also attract students across the borders. Accreditation has become the most differentiating quality factor in determining the value of an institution. The objective of this paper is to analyse accreditation of management education. The paper briefs the need and types of accreditation, also high lights the national and international accrediting agencies. The future of accreditation is discussed in detail with the list of institutions that are internationally accredited in India. II. UNDERSTANDING ACCREDITATION Accreditation is defined as a status granted to an institution or a program within an institution that has been evaluated and found to meet or exceed stated criteria of education quality (Young et al, 1983). It is a tool to achieve high standards and not a goal in itself (Pereira et al, 2002) with the primary reason for seeking it being to assess, maintain, and improve the quality of academic programs (Schere et al, 2005). It is based on evaluation done at a specific point of time and when viewed as a status symbol, it provides a public certificate of acceptable minimum quality. Accreditation is process of quality assurance, giving credit where it is due for some clearly visible and demonstrable strategies of academic activities and objectives of the institutions, known to be honestly pursued and efficiently achieved by the resources currently available 61

2 with a potential for continuous improvement in quality for effective growth" according to the NBA. The accreditation principles are based on best practices in business education. These principles promote excellence in business education through a benchmarking process, which is helpful in determining why the institution is, or is not, achieving its mission and broad-based goals, and in interpreting the results of the outcomes assessment process. Within the value chain, for each of the activities, institutions must achieve and demonstrate an acceptable level of performance consistent with their mission while satisfying defined standards. III. NEED OF ACCREDITATION Accreditation is broadly used for understanding the Quality Status of an institution. In the context of Higher Education, the accreditation status indicates that the particular Higher Educational Institution (HEI) a College, an University, or any other recognised Unit, meets the standards of quality as set by the Accreditation Agency, in terms of its performance, related to the educational processes and outcomes, covering the curriculum, teachinglearning, evaluation, faculty, research, infrastructure, learning resources, organisation, governance, financial well being and student services. as quoted by NAAC. Just as managers face rising expectations for their performance and the performance of their organizations, programs in management education should also anticipate rising expectations, even within a given mission. No fixed curriculum, specific set of faculty credentials, single type of faculty performance, or approach to instruction will be adequate over time. The processes used to strengthen curricula, develop faculty, improve instruction, and enhance intellectual activity determine the direction and rate of improvement. Thus, these processes become important along with the necessary review of inputs and assessment of outcomes. IV - REVIEW OF LITERATURE A concept, which originated in USA, the purposes served by accreditation have reflected the requirements of the society (Thrash, 1979). Pinkham (1955) traces the beginnings of accreditation in United States by pointing out that the various players namely; the federal government, philanthropy, foreign countries, professional organizations and even the institutions felt the need to be able to identify better institutes amongst the existing institutions of higher education in the country. He noted three factors as significant about the birth of accrediting: "(1) It was established voluntarily, not by government order; (2) The IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: same process was begun from two sources simultaneously - by professions from without and by institutions from within higher education; and (3) Accrediting both types of organizations was the outgrowth of genuine and sincere efforts to answer serious problems of the time". The early type of accrediting (till 1936) addressed the purpose of 'recognition', with accreditation defined as "the recognition accorded to an education institution in the US by means of inclusion in a list of institutions by some agency or organization which sets up standards or requirements that must be complied with in order to secure approval" (Zook and Haggerty, 1936; p. 18). Between the focus of accreditation moved from 'recognition' to 'approval'. Again, in 1960, there was a change in emphasis towards a 'process' wherein it came to be defined as "the process whereby an organization or agency recognizes a college or university or a program of study as having met certain pre-determined qualifications or standards" (Seiden, 1960; p. 5). The purpose served by accreditation in the 1970s was that of securing federal funding and its repercussions are summarized by Orlans (2002) who states, "In 1974, the 'voluntary' was dropped the use of accreditation to determine eligibility for government funds and other public benefits has lent an involuntary and public character to accrediting activities once regarded as entirely 'voluntary' and 'private'". Al-Bulushi (2003) refers to the work of Young et al (1983) who brought out the new definition of accreditation in the 1980s as comprising of three basic elements 'Concept', 'Process', and 'Status'. "... a concept unique to the US by which institutions of post-secondary education or professional associations form voluntary, nongovernmental organizations to encourage and assist institutions in the evaluation and improvement of their educational quality and to publicly acknowledge those institutions, or units within institutions, that meet or exceed commonly agreed to minimum expectations of educational quality. V - ASSURING QUALITY THROUGH ACCREDITATION Accreditation is a type of Quality Assurance process under which services and operations of an educational institution or programmes are evaluated by an external body to determine if, applicable standards are met. If standards are met, accredited status is granted by the agency. Accreditation is seen as an independent process whereby the quality of an institution or programme is assessed and assured by the accrediting bodies. It is intended to assist prospective students, educational institutions, 62

3 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: professional societies, potential employers and government purpose of guiding and protecting the users and agencies in identifying institutions and their programmes. stakeholders. An attempt is made in this paper to explain the Apart from meeting the minimum norms and growth of Accreditation in Management education and standards, institutions must achieve certain quality standard analyse the national and international accreditation bodies as prescribed by the accreditation body. In this sense, and their features in enhancing the Management Education accreditation is akin to the grant of a quality mark for the in India. VI - NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION BODIES FOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATION S. No. 1 NBA 2 NAAC 3 SAQS 4 AACSB 5 ACBSP 6 IACBE 7 EQUIS Table No. 1 National and International Accreditation Bodies for Business Schools Accreditation Body Accrediting Home Established Countries Status Country Year Present National Board of accreditation National India 1994 India National Assessment &Accreditation Council National India 1994 India South Asian Quality Assurance System SAARC Region India Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of International USA Business Association of Collegiate Business Schools and International USA Programs International Assembly for Collegiate Business International USA Education European Quality Improvement System International Belgium AMBA Association of MBAs International UK BAC The British Accreditation Council International UK Source: Compiled by the Researcher from the respective websites 1. National Board of accreditation (NBA) NBA was set up in 1994 under Section 10(u) of the AICTE Act awards accreditation status to programmes as Accredited for five years, accredited for three years and Not Accredited (NA). Accreditation is based on 8 point criteria which was input-based. NBA has, however, revised the criteria for accreditation of institutes to bring it at par with international parameters. Accreditation is now based on a 1000 point scale and is an outcome based accreditation system. NBA in its present form came into existence as an autonomous body with effect from 7th January 2010, with the objective of Assurance of Quality and Relevance of Education, especially of the programmes in professional and technical disciplines, i.e., Engineering and Technology, Management, Architecture, Pharmacy and Hospitality, through the mechanism of accreditation of programs offered by technical institutions. NBA has introduced a new process, parameters and criteria for accreditation. These are in line with the best international practices and oriented to assess the outcomes of the programme. 2. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) NAAC is an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India to assess and accredit institutions of higher education in the country. It is 63

4 an outcome of the recommendations of the National Policy in Education (1986) which laid special emphasis on upholding the quality of higher education in India. To address the issues of quality, the National Policy on Education (1986) and the Plan of Action (POA-1992) advocated the establishment of an independent national accreditation body. Consequently, the NAAC was established in 1994 with its headquarters at Bangalore. 3. South Asian Quality Assurance System (SAQS) The Association of Management Development Institutions in South Asia (AMDISA) was established in 1988, with the initiative of leading management development institutions in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region. AMDISA is an international not-for-profit association, and is a SAARC Recognised Body. It has 209 Members, of which 190 are Institutional Members from the SAARC region, 4 Affiliate Members, 1 Corporate Member and 14 Reciprocal Members. The Reciprocal Members are Institutions with similar objectives outside South Asia. The mission of AMDISA is to Promote management excellence in South Asia by networking management development institutions and facilitating their partnership with corporate enterprises and public agencies in the region. 4. Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) AACSB International was established as a membership organization for business schools a place where business schools could network and discuss issues that effected the business education industry and their institutions. In 1919, the first AACSB Accreditation Standards were adopted with the primary objective of improving collegiate business education. In 1980, an additional set of accreditation standards were developed for undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs in accounting to address the special needs of the profession. Throughout the years, both the AACSB Business and Accounting Accreditation Standards have been continually revised to reflect the ever-changing needs of business and its students. Today, the AACSB Accreditation Standards are used as the basis to evaluate a business school s mission, operations, faculty qualifications and contributions, programs, and other critical areas. AACSB accreditation ensures students and parents that the business school is providing a top-quality education. It also ensures employers that AACSB-accredited business school graduates are ready to perform on day one. Additionally, AACSB accreditation IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: provides many benefits to the faculty and staff at its accredited schools by attracting higher quality students, providing greater research opportunities, and allowing for global recognition. 5. Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), formerly the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, is a U.S. organization offering accreditation services to business programs focused on teaching and learning. ACBSP was created to fulfil a need for specialized accreditation by colleges and universities with business schools and programs. ACBSP was founded in 1988 to accredit business schools with an emphasis on teaching and learning. At the time, only 260 out of 2,400 schools of business had specialized professional accreditation, all from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Most or all of the AACSB accredited schools had an emphasis on research, while most other schools had an emphasis on teaching. 6. International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) The International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) is the leading outcomes-based professional accrediting organization for business programs in student-centered colleges and universities throughout the world. The IACBE exists to promote, develop, and recognize excellence in business education. The IACBE is the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation in business, and it exists for the purposes of advancing academic quality and excellence in business education throughout the world. It is the philosophy of the IACBE that academic quality and excellence in business education should be measured in terms of the overall level of performance of an academic business unit (department, division, school, college of business, etc.) relative to its mission. This emphasis on mission-related performance is integral and fundamental to the entire quality assurance process of the IACBE. 7. European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) The fundamental objective of EQUIS, linked to the mission of EFMD, is to raise the standard of management education worldwide. EQUIS assesses institutions as a whole. It assesses not just degree programmes but all the activities and sub-units of the institution, including research, 64

5 e-learning units, executive education provision and community outreach. Institutions must be primarily devoted to management education. EQUIS is not primarily focused on the MBA or any other specific programme. Its scope covers all programmes offered by an institution from the first degree up to the Ph.D. EQUIS looks for a balance between high academic quality and the professional relevance provided by close interaction with the corporate world. A strong interface with the world of business is, therefore, as much a requirement as a strong research potential. EQUIS attaches particular importance to the creation of an effective learning environment that favours the development of students managerial and entrepreneurial skills, and fosters their sense of global responsibility. It also looks for innovation in all respects, including programme design and pedagogy. 8. Association of MBAs (AMBA) The Association of MBAs (AMBA) is the international impartial authority on postgraduate business education, established in 1967 by a small group of business graduates with the aim to raise the profile of business education and the MBA qualification in UK and Europe. Presently AMBA accreditation service is the global standard for all MBA, DBA and MBM programmes. Through the research centre, the Evidence & Ideas Lab, AMBA explore global trends and thought leadership in management education. It works with corporate partners around the world to offer unparalleled networking opportunities and access to a global database of knowledge and talent. It provides AMBA accredited business schools and their student and alumni with exclusive access to a range of services and benefits, including world-class events. 9. The British Accreditation Council The British Accreditation Council (BAC) is the only registered charity in the UK dedicated to raising standards in private further and higher education. We are an independent body, established in 1984 to be the national accrediting body for private post-16 education in the UK. The primary objective of our founding members was to improve and enhance the standards of independent further and higher educational institutions by the establishment of a system of accreditation. VII - QUALITY INDICATORS FOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATION Table No. 2 Quality Indicators for Management Education IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: Stage Duration Quality Indicators for Management Education to 2000 AICTE Approval to 2010 National Accreditation (NBA/NAAC) to present International Accreditation 4 Future Triple International Accreditation Source: compiled by the researcher a. AICTE Approval This stage was from 1987 to 2000, where if an institution is approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), it was perceived to be of better quality. Getting an AICTE approval was initially seen a quality measure for the institutions offering management education. The stake holders had the preference for AICTE approved institutions, as those was assumed of giving better returns and enjoyed the trust in the market. Most of the existing and also the new institutions went for AICTE approval, there by equipping themselves to meet the requirements of AICTE. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the statutory body and a nationallevel council for technical education, under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. Established in November 1945 first as an advisory body and later on in 1987 given statutory status by an Act of Parliament, AICTE is responsible for proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education and management education system in India. The AICTE accredits postgraduate and graduate programs under specific categories at Indian institutions as per its charter. It is assisted by 10 Statutory Boards of Studies, namely, UG Studies in Eng. & Tech., PG and Research in Eng. and Tech., Management Studies, Vocational Education, Technical Education, Pharmaceutical Education, Architecture, Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Information Technology, Town and Country Planning. b. National Accreditation (NBA/NAAC) The second stage of quality indicator in management education was the stage national accreditation of management institutions that gained momentum in During this stage the number of business schools in India was growing as the economy and employment opportunities was good and consistent. When many schools were approved by AICTE, national accreditation was seen as the next generation quality indicator of the institutions. While NAAC was active in accrediting the whole 65

6 institution, NBA was also growing in accrediting the specific course like MBA, MCA and Engineering. Those institutions with NAAC accreditation and courses with NBA accreditation was perceived as the most qualitative in both education and employment. c. International Accreditation International accreditation is the present trend in many top business schools in India. In this the era of globalization, the Indian Business Schools are competing IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: with their western and global counterparts. When going on the international arena the business schools as in a need to equip themselves to cater to the global audience and prove their credentials internationally. The only option to do this is by going for an international accreditation, by any global accrediting body. A few Indian business schools have got an international accreditation and many are in the process of achieving it in the near future. The list of international accreditation bodies and the Indian Business Schools that have the respective accreditation are given in Table No. 3 Table No. 3 Indian Business Schools with International Accreditation S. No. Accreditation Body Name of the Institutes Location 1 AACSB Association to Advance Indian School of Business Hyderabad Collegiate Schools of Business T A Pai Management Institute Manipal 2 ACBSP 3 IACBE 4 EQUIS Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education PSG Institute of Management Regional College of Management School of Communication and Management Sciences Jansons School of Business Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies ICBM School of Business Excellence Amity Business School Apeejay School of Management Alliance University Ramaiah Institute of Management Studies Acharya Institute of Management and Science Coimbatore Bhuvaneshwar Cochin Coimbatore Bangalore Hyderabad Noida New Delhi Bangalore Bangalore Bangalore European Quality Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Improvement System Indian Institute of Management Bangalore Management Development Institute S P Jain Institute of Management and 5 AMBA Association of MBAs Research Indian Institute of Management Indian Institute of Management International Management Institute Source: 6 th International Conference proceedings by SEAA Trust Gurgaon Mumbai Kozhikode Lucknow New Delhi 66

7 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: d. Triple International Accreditation The future of accreditation will be upon the term triple accreditation. Triple accreditation refers to the fact that a business school has earned accreditation from any three of the most reputed accreditation agencies. The most preferred triple accrediting agencies are namely 1. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB - USA) 2. The Association of MBAs (AMBA - UK) 3. European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS - Belgium) These accreditations are rigorous processes that involve assessment of numerous aspects of the school and its programmes. Typically, this involves the business school submitting an in-depth self-analysis report for scrutiny by these bodies, followed by a visiting panel and the consequent interviewing of current students, staff, alumni, corporate clients and employers. Only 59 business schools as of 2012, less than 1% in the world hold triple accreditation. These bodies have no obligation to make an award - indeed; many business schools are unsuccessful in their application. To achieve accreditation by one of these bodies is an achievement in itself. To achieve accreditation by all three bodies is a truly outstanding accomplishment and one to be proud of by the Business Schools. SUMMARY In order to assure quality and achieve excellence in management education, it is imperative for our business schools to go for any accreditation. The future of business schools in India is largely dependent on the quality parameters followed and global benchmarking process. After AICTE, NAAC and NBA, international accreditation is going to be the need of the hour for all the top notch business schools in India. The time is ripe and demanding for the business schools to come out of the comfort zone and change their operations from conventional to international standard. Though international accreditation is catching up in India the best business schools across the world are heading towards triple accreditation. To survive in the future it is essential to embrace the best global practices and assure quality in all dimensions. It is clear from the present situation that accreditation is going to be the unique weapon to fight the market and win over the race. Those Business Schools with national or international accreditation cannot be contented with it for long, as they have to move up in the ladder for the next level of excellence in accreditation. REFERENCES [1] Antonina Espiritu (2007) - Is there a Divident to an Institution for having an Accredited College of Business? The Journal of American Academy of usiness, Cambridge, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 2007, pp [2] David E Gundersen, Stephen F Austin (2011) - A Pillar for Successful Business School Accreditation: Conducting the Curriculum Review Process A Systematic Approach, American Journal of Business Education, May 2011, Vol. 4, No. 5, [3] Eric J Romero (2008) - AACSB Accrediatation: Addressing Faculty Concerns, Academy of Manahement Learning & Education, 2008, Vol. 7, No.2, [4] Jagadeesh, R (2000) - Assuring quality in management education: the Indian context Quality Assurance in Education 8.3, pp [5] Malini Reddy Y (2008) - Global Accreditation System in Management Education: A Critial Analysis Y Malini Reddy, South Asian Journal of Management 2008, Vol. 15, pp [6] Rao P S & Kalpana Hans (2011) - Comparative analysis of Accreditation system in Management Education in India (NBA & SAQS), Journal of Management & Public Policy, vol. 3, June 2012, pp 5-17 [7] Robert L Taylor, Angela D Auria Stanton (2009) - Academic Publishing & Teaching Effectiveness: An Attitudinal Study of AACSB Accredited Business School Faculty, Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2009, pp [8] Sahay B S & Rajiv R Thakur (2007) -Excellence through Accreditation in Indian B Bchools, Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management 2007, Vol. 8, pp 9-16 [9] Shweta & Manoj Kumar (2011) - Management Education in India: Issues & Challenges, Journal of Management& Public Policy, Vol. 3, No. 1 [10] Swapnesh Masrani, Allan P O Williams & Peter McKiernan (2011) - Management Education in UK: The Roles of Britis Academy of Management & the Association of Business Schools, British Journal of Management, Vol. 22, pp [11] 6 th International Conference proceedings (2013) by Standards for Educational Advancement and Accreditation Trust, New Delhi [12] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [13] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [14] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [15] accessed on 13 th February

8 IRACST- International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), ISSN: [16] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [19] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [17] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [20] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [18] accessed on 13 th February 2014 [21] accessed on 13 th February