Together with 32 business schools from across the Nordic region, Karlstad Business School has submitted a joint statement to the accreditation body AACSB in response to its recent update to the guiding principles and interpretive guidance for AACSB’s Business Accreditation Standards.
Education and research should always remain independent of political pressures and uphold the principle of academic freedom for all. Across cultural contexts, promoting diversity and inclusion is essential for fostering equitable learning environments and preparing future leaders to navigate an increasingly complex and globalized world.
On behalf of Nordic business schools that are members of AACSB, we express our concern over the organization’s decision to replace “Diversity and Inclusion” as one of its ten Guiding Principles and Expectations for Accredited Schools with “Community and Connectedness.” As Nordic business schools, we will stand by our core values and continue to prioritise diversity and inclusion in our education, research, and institutional culture. We recommend that AACSB uphold its core guiding principles and clearly signal that diversity and inclusion may remain valuable - also for accreditation purposes - outside the US.
AACSB's leadership responded to the statement with appreciation, reaffirming the Nordic Business School leaders' commitment to diversity and inclusion as core values in business education. Their explanation emphasizes that the change is not a reduction in focus but rather a recognition of the varied cultural and regulatory contexts in which member schools operate. AACSB allows each institution to reflect its mission and values authentically. Many schools around the globe will continue to maintain a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, aligning with their local cultural and legal contexts.
– In these times, we need a deep sense of solidarity and support within the broader global community, says Marie-Therese Christiansson, Head of Karlstad Business School. If AACSB can facilitate schools in continuing their diversity and inclusion work through this update, it is essential at this moment. However, the choice of words matters, and it is deeply concerning that such action is necessary.
Facts
AACSB – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business – is the world’s largest accreditation organisation for business schools founded in the United States in 1916.
Karlstad University has held the accreditation under AACSB global standards since 2021.
