The recognitions granted by ACCBE are currently categorized into two groups: Certification and Accreditation. The Certification category includes QACPB (Quality Assurance Certificate in Programs of Business) and QACPC (Quality Assurance Certificate in Programs of College). The Accreditation category includes ACCSB (Accreditation of Chinese Collegiate School of Business) and ACCPB (Accreditation of Chinese Collegiate Program of Business).

For applicants seeking Certification (QACPB / QACPC), our focus is on assessing whether they have established a Quality Assurance Framework and Quality Control Mechanism capable of ensuring continuous improvement in educational quality. If there are any deficiencies that require improvement, the speed and extent of the applicant’s improvements can be determined based on its individual circumstances.

For applicants seeking Accreditation (ACCSB / ACCPB), in addition to reviewing the Quality Assurance Framework and Quality Control Mechanism of the applicant, we also assist them in examining the logical connections between the objective of the talents cultivation, the position of students in the job market, expected core competencies of graduate for each academic program, and their formal and informal curriculum, course requirements, and graduation criteria. All of these elements must have clear logical coherence and adhere to principles of professional credibility and industry needs. For those who receive a Conditional Pass, there will be a mid-term assessment mechanism for required improvements within a specified timeframe.

Additionally, to align with the diverse undergraduate backgrounds in MBA education and ensure the cultivation of the ability for MBA students to apply managerial knowledge, MBA Programs applying for Accreditation are required to include a curriculum of at least nine courses, we require that the curriculum of MBA Programs applying for Accreditation should consist of a minimum of nine courses. These should include three courses in analytical tools, namely Managerial Economics, Managerial Accounting, and Applied Statistics, three foundational management courses encompassing Organizational Behavior, Business Ethics, and Strategic Management, along with integration courses, and finally, three core functional management courses: Marketing Management, Financial Management, and Operations Management. As for the MS Program, there should be established entry criteria for students or requirements for remedial or prerequisite coursework upon admission.

Since the authority to confer degrees at universities in Taiwan lies with individual departments, the courses and faculty of each department are essentially independent. However, due to varying development timelines among different departments, and the fact that some schools have not established independent business and management colleges, certain business-related departments might be affiliated with other colleges.

Therefore, in addition to the existing ACCSB accreditation that targets all units of the college, we have also introduced the ACCPB accreditation. This accreditation exclusively centers on the suitability of the educational goals, development strategies, educational content, operational systems, educational effectiveness, and quality assurance mechanisms of individual departments.

However, due to ACCSB accreditation’s longer history and stronger reputation in Taiwan, widely acknowledged by the public, departments/programs tend to give priority to applying for ACCSB accreditation. Even those departments that perform less favorably against accreditation standards make efforts to collaborate and enhance their performance to attain college-wide accreditation. Moreover, for business-related departments not affiliated with a business college, if all departments can meet the conditions required for accreditation, they remain eligible for ACCSB accreditation. Consequently, as of now, no ACCPB accreditations have been granted.

The applicant may request an appeal based on instances where the recognition committee deviates from ACCBE procedural regulations during the recognition process or if there is a discrepancy between the content stated in the recognition decision document and the actual situation of the applicant. (If the discrepancy arises from erroneous information provided by the applicant, it falls outside the scope of appeal.)

Applicants intending to lodge an appeal are requested to prepare the petition and provide proof of payment for the appeal fee within thirty days of receiving the “Decision Letter of Accreditation Result.” The appeal documents should then be submitted to the ACCBE administration office. For details about the appeal process, please refer to Section VII,”Appeals Process,” in the Accreditation Handbook.

If the educational goals are indeed the same for different degree programs, it is possible to use the same desciptions. However, given the different backgrounds of students in various programs, their desired core competencies and roles in the job market may vary. Therefore, their educational methods, course content, and graduation requirements are likely to differ as well. In such cases, it is advisable to provide separate objective of talents cultivation.

Furthermore, if identical educational goals are set, it may be necessary to explain how, in terms of professional requirements, the department can foster students with varying backgrounds and different lengths of study to achieve equivalent competencies.

For newly started departments/degree programs (those without graduates yet), please provide information on education goals and positioning, teaching and learning input, research and industry-academia cooperation, administration and services, as well as expected performance and outcomes. The performance will be included as part of future tracking initiatives.

One “must-meet” condition for departments/degree programs to pass ACCSB accreditation is the establishment of a mature quality assurance system. Each unit must define clear talent cultivation objectives, plan courses, allocate relevant educational resources based on these objectives, and collect various performance data in alignment with these objectives, continuously reviewing and improving them. This establishes a fundamental framework and operational mechanism for ensuring continuous improvement in the quality of education.

Regarding the course requirements for each department/degree program, mandatory courses adhere to the professional standards in their respective fields. However, in the case of the MBA program, which admits graduates from various undergraduate backgrounds, ACCSB accreditation suggests that the course design should cater to the fundamental needs of business managers in terms of planning and decision-making. Therefore, students are obligated to complete a minimum of nine core management courses. These include functional knowledge courses like “Marketing Management, ” “Financial Management, ” and “Operations Management, ” as well as integrated management courses such as “Strategic Management, ” “Organizational Behavior, ” and “Business Ethics, ” along with analytical tools courses like “Managerial Economics, ” “Managerial Accounting," and “Applied Statistics. ”

For students with undergraduate backgrounds in related fields who aspire to pursue academic research, they have the option to pursue an MS degree, taking courses in “Methodology” and “Seminar in their respective fields” before completing a thesis as part of their graduation requirements.

The applicant may, within two weeks of receiving the“ Recommendation Report,” provide explanations to the ACCBE administration office regarding any discrepancies perceived between self-assessment and the facts stated in the report. The explanations provided by the applicant will be considered by the Accreditation Working Committee in their discussions on the accreditation outcome.