UEF Completes ACBSP Consultation Series, Reinforcing Its International Quality Culture

Following two days of intensive working sessions on July 21–22, UEF successfully concluded its consultation series with Dr. Kevin Cooney, an expert from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, USA). This milestone marks a significant step in UEF’s preparation for international accreditation of its business programs while reaffirming the University's commitment to cultivating a quality culture aligned with global standards.

Building on the initial discussions covering Leadership (Standard 1) and Strategic Planning (Standard 2), representatives from UEF and the ACBSP expert continued comprehensive discussions on the remaining accreditation standards: Student and Stakeholder Focus (Standard 3), Student Learning Assessment (Standard 4), Faculty Focus (Standard 5), Curriculum (Standard 6), and Business Unit Performance Results (Standard 7).

In-Depth Working Sessions on the Remaining ACBSP Accreditation Standards

Throughout the three in-depth sessions, the focus extended beyond accreditation documentation. The discussions emphasized developing an effective quality assurance system centered on student success, strengthened industry engagement, faculty development, data-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement to enhance educational quality.

Dr. Kevin Cooney and UEF representatives explored how academic activities, institutional data, and student support systems could be transformed into meaningful evidence demonstrating continuous quality enhancement. While acknowledging UEF’s strong practice-oriented foundation, Dr. Cooney emphasized that the essence of international accreditation lies not in the volume of data collected, but in an institution’s ability to demonstrate what it has learned from the data, what improvements have been implemented, and the impact of those improvements.

The Working Sessions Focused on Building an Effective Quality Assurance System

Regarding Standard 3 – Student and Stakeholder Focus, discussions centered on enhancing the student experience, actively gathering stakeholder feedback, and using those insights as the foundation for continuous improvement. These practices are essential to creating a learning environment that meets the evolving needs of students, employers, and society.

For Standard 4 – Student Learning Assessment, Dr. Cooney highlighted the importance of operating assessment within a continuous improvement cycle of measurement – analysis – improvement – reassessment, rather than focusing solely on grades or achievement rates. UEF was encouraged to strengthen evidence demonstrating the alignment between course learning outcomes and program learning outcomes while using assessment data to identify issues, implement improvements, and evaluate their effectiveness.

Under Standard 5 – Faculty Focus, faculty development was reaffirmed as a critical factor in ensuring educational excellence. Ongoing professional development, enhanced teaching and research capabilities, and institutional support for continuous innovation were identified as key drivers of sustainable program quality.

For Standard 6 – Curriculum, the sessions focused on demonstrating alignment between academic programs, the University's mission, program learning outcomes, and labor market needs. Dr. Cooney also emphasized the importance of showcasing the tangible contributions of the Industry Advisory Board in shaping curriculum improvements and recommended integrating emerging competencies such as AI applications, communication, leadership, professional ethics, and interdisciplinary skills to meet the demands of an evolving global landscape.

Regarding Standard 7 – Business Unit Performance Results, UEF presented its performance monitoring system, including key indicators such as student retention, graduate employment rates, and job placement outcomes. Dr. Cooney commended the University's data-driven management approach while recommending further standardization of performance indicators, measurement methodologies, and benchmarking practices to better demonstrate the effectiveness of student support services and academic quality.

The consultation series with the ACBSP expert not only enabled UEF to advance its international accreditation readiness but also further strengthened its institutional quality culture. Student-centered education, active engagement with industry partners, faculty development, practice-oriented curricula, and evidence-based decision-making are becoming fundamental principles guiding the University's continuous development.

Building on the expert recommendations, UEF will continue refining its quality assurance system, ensuring that its academic programs evolve continuously to meet international standards while providing students with a modern, practical, and globally competitive learning environment.

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