Opus College of Business has earned reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) for an additional five-year period (2020-25). Opus first earned AACSB accreditation in 2011. Only 5% of all business schools globally have the designation, a worldwide marker of quality in business education, and St. Thomas is the only private university in Minnesota accredited by AACSB.
“The reaffirmation of our AACSB accreditation reflects the high-quality educational experience we provide our students, the college’s ongoing efforts to innovate with our industry partners to keep our programs current and relevant, and the commitment of our faculty and professional staff to educating highly principled global business leaders under our mission,” said Opus Senior Associate Dean Michael Garrison.
After an extensive site visit by AACSB, Opus received numerous commendations, including:
- The AACSB team was particularly impressed with Opus' “Business for the Common Good” strategy, its program and instructional innovations, and business engagement through Opus centers and programs.
- The evident passion of Opus faculty for teaching and engaging students was considered one of its “most significant strengths.” The team found numerous opportunities for student engagement with business and strong student-faculty interactions, citing small classes, cohort models for many graduate programs, scholarship programs, internships and service learning.
- The innovative Prof + Prof program, pairing a professor and professional in the classroom, the Business in a Digital World initiative focusing on the impact of emerging technologies, and the extensive programs of the Schulze School of Entrepreneurship were called out as particularly noteworthy.
- AACSB praised Opus for its “robust” strategic planning process and its recent adaptation of faculty research in its research mission statement. The organization also noted that Opus has been “highly successful in external fundraising,” which will allow new initiatives and grants to be supported.
Accreditation by AACSB, founded in 1916, is a voluntary, non-governmental review of educational institutions and programs. Institutional accreditation reviews entire colleges and universities, looking at factors including the quality of teaching and curriculum, faculty knowledge, and students’ educational experience and outcomes. Institutions that earn accreditation confirm their commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. Today, there are 882 business schools in 57 countries and territories that maintain AACSB accreditation.
