Maintaining standards by a regular process of MBA programme accreditation has always been key. The Association acts as a major force for change and improvement in management standards. In addition to acting as a professional network for its members, the Association offers impartial advice and information to the general public, prospective students and companies seeking to recruit and place MBAs. The criteria used to assess MBA programmes have been progressively refined over the years. Both employers and business schools, as well as the Association's membership, have made major contributions to this process.
Accreditation is of course very different from ranking.
Such a process is perhaps feasible in the US, given the comparative homogeneity of business schools there. European schools are much more diverse and attempts at ranking have to date met with well-merited scepticism. Providing, as it does, a service to all groups in the MBA community, the accreditation of MBA programmes offered to business schools worldwide lies at the heart of the Association's commitment to managerial education and development. For students, often bewildered by the variety of programmes on offer, it provides a reliable list of programmes of tested quality. For the schools offering accredited programmes it gives an overview of their position against norms which have gained widespread acceptance on an international basis.