French School Becomes First European Institution to Participate in Pilot Study for AACSB Accreditation (Winter 1997)

Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC) has become the first institution in Europe to participate in a pilot study that extends AACSB accreditation to institutions outside the United States and Canada. Jean-Pierre Boisivon, ESSEC directeur general, accepted an invitation from AACSB President Joseph A. Alutto to take part in what is considered an opportunity for mutual learning and sharing about quality degree programs in business.

"ESSEC is held in high regard by both AACSB and the European Foundation for Management Development (efmd) and was selected as one of the initial participants in Europe for the anticipated partnering of accreditation reviews by each association," said Milton R. Blood, AACSB director of accreditation. "Although the anticipated AACSB/efmd partnering still is under discussion, AACSB agreed to invite ESSEC to participate in the pilot study."

Founded in 1907, ESSEC is a French graduate school of management located just outside Paris in Cergy-Pontoise. ESSEC, a member of the French Grande Ecole system and a major European business school, views AACSB accreditation as enhancing its internationalization while building from its traditional French context. Currently, there are more than 2,500 students enrolled in the various academic programs at ESSEC.

"ESSEC is looking forward to its participation in an accreditation pilot study project at the international level," said Maurice Thevenet, director. "It is our hope that this process will bring a mutual learning experience to European and American business schools at an initial stage that later will be extended to business schools all over the world."

According to Thevenet, ESSEC envisions two major benefits from its participation in the AACSB accreditation process. "First, as a European school, ESSEC considers it essential that European business education is recognized on the international level and that European business schools take part in forming international standards," said Thevenet. "Therefore, ESSEC feels that it is important to be a partner in the international vision that AACSB currently is developing. Given that each side of the Atlantic would benefit from a mutual cooperation, ESSEC supports an AACSB/efmd joint approach on accreditation issues.

"Second, ESSEC aims for continuous improvement of its programs and is very attentive to all processes that may enhance its quality," continued Thevenet. "ESSEC believes that the quality approach of the AACSB accreditation process is an effective way to improve total quality."

A peer review team is working with ESSEC to further explore application of the current accreditation standards and process. The team includes deans at two institutions in the AACSB Accreditation Council, two representatives of non-U.S. educational AACSB members, a representative of a corporation in Paris, a bilingual non-voting member and an AACSB accreditation staff representative.

Discussions with several other European institutions concerning pilot studies for AACSB accreditation are ongoing with invitations to be extended as early as January 1997.