A Call for Equitable Access to High-Quality Business Education

Providing access to high-quality business education to all of those who want to learn is in the best interest of business and society. Recent U.S. policy actions have limited the ability of higher education institutions to reach a diverse range of potential learners, constraining access to the development of top talent from a variety of backgrounds:

• The Supreme Court’s voting down of affirmative action at the federal level impedes schools from continuing their work in creating equitable access to the diverse talent that employers are demanding.
• The continued dismantling of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programs within select states hinders talent recruitment for faculty and students and limits educators’ efforts to equip students with the skills and experiences to be productive in diverse working environments.

We have not achieved equality and justice in society. Within business education, if schools cannot fill their student and faculty pipelines with talent from diverse backgrounds, then their ability to prepare business leaders and entrepreneurs who are fully representative of society’s needs becomes constrained. The leaders contributing to the local, national, and global economies will represent only a portion of society, excluding people from underrepresented communities.

As an international organization with members in more than 100 countries and territories serving over 1,700 business schools that provide education to more than 4 million students, AACSB views diversity through a global lens and firmly believes in the principles of DEIB—it’s one of our core values. We’ve outlined AACSB’s position on diversity in a paper released in 2022, available at aacsb.edu/diversity.

The actions taken by the Supreme Court and state legislatures do not impact the status of schools accredited by AACSB. The 2020 AACSB business accreditation standards and guidance on diversity and inclusion issues related to programs, curriculum, and scholarship give schools the flexibility to focus on initiatives that best support the school’s mission and the needs of the communities they serve while complying with federal and state legislation. AACSB is committed to supporting its members in providing equitable access to high-quality business education around the world. 

The role of education is to seek greater understanding of the world through research, knowledge, and open sharing of diverse perspectives, which requires the representation of many voices. Greater diversity enables strength and innovation among communities, organizations, and global society.

About AACSB International

Established in 1916, AACSB International (AACSB) is the world’s largest business education alliance, connecting educators, learners, and business to create the next generation of great leaders. With members in over 100 countries and territories, AACSB fosters engagement, accelerates innovation, and amplifies impact in business education. Learn how AACSB and business schools from around the world are leading boldly in business education at aacsb.edu.