Accreditation.Biz

Accreditation or reaffirmation of accreditation requires vast resources, strategic planning, and meticulous preparation done several years in advance. These preparations are often carried out within the increasingly turbulent marketplace for higher education, characterized by increasing complexity, growing competition, and intensifying change to institutions of higher learning. We understand the challenges of an accreditation effort, the necessity of vast resources needed for these initiatives, and the pressure and stress faced by institutions, their administrators, faculty, and staff when going through accreditation or reaffirmation.  At Accreditation.Biz, we embrace these challenges and help our clients overcome their limitations in order to reach new heights in the quality of education. Our clients trust us because we understand their needs and know what it takes to tackle the complexity of requirements for accreditation in the most efficient manner.  We can offer every client a simple, customized solution that leads to accreditation in a cost effective and expedient manner.  

Our clients are our partners, and we are committed to them.  We take the time to listen to our clients and understand their institutions, programs, and processes.  We combine this information with our experience, expertise, and innovativeness to deliver strategic accreditation solutions that meet clients’ needs. We want our clients to realize impact, real results, and growth.  We promise to deliver 100% client satisfaction… every time. We are excited to be a trusted consultative partner in providing the planning and guidance to help your institution achieve and sustain accreditation. 

The accreditation process is often compared to fixing an engine of a train that is running ahead full speed. Quite often, senior college and university leaders are very consumed with the tremendous work, leadership, and focus needed for managing ongoing operations of a business school. They have little time and resources available to be directed toward the accreditation process, despite its obvious strategic importance. The situation becomes even bleaker when a newly appointed dean or other senior leader is put in charge of the accreditation process without having sufficient time to properly transition into his or her new role. Regardless of the situation that you are facing, we at Accreditation.Biz would like to serve as a valuable “go to” resource for all matters related to accreditation of business schools and business education in general. While we specialize in assisting business schools with accreditation, our team of consultants has extensive knowledge and decades of experience in all matters of business education. We know that you have major goals and aspirations for your business school. You want to make sure that your partner of choice has successfully achieved these goals and aspirations for other business schools in the past and is actively engaged at present to achieve these for more institutions to achieve continued success for the future.

Our team members have decades of international experience in higher education administration, consulting, and all aspects of business education. Our team can provide counsel on various aspects of accreditation, including:

• • Accreditation eligibility assessment
  • Facilitation of Strategic Planning
  • Gap analysis with respect to accreditation standards
  • Design and development of Assurance of Learning (AoL) plans and processes
  • Assistance with the development of Self-Evaluation reports
  • Development of institutional responses to Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC) concerns
  • Mock reviews

Accreditation.Biz is a leading consulting partner for business schools seeking AACSB accreditation. Our services in relation to AACSB accreditation include eligibility assessment, strategic plan development, development of an initial self-evaluation report, gap analysis, self evaluation plan development and edits, and mock review. 

We deliver our services in accordance with the international best practices in business education and in compliance with relevant accreditation standards for business schools.

We offer a number of fixed-price product packages to business schools that require either a fixed, one-time cost or an annual subscription fee. These products are priced to make them a predictable, financially sound alternative to hiring a full-time person to do these tasks or asking a consultant to perform these services on a “cost-reimbursement” basis.

Strategic Plan

For a one-time fee, we will use our easy-to-use online tools to create or update a Strategic Plan for your academic unit or program based on input and feedback solicited from all the relevant stakeholders. The deliverables for this product include: 

• • A Strategic Plan document
  • A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) listing main initiatives and people responsible for these initiatives or risks in the form of a document or an interactive Scrum board built in Trello

After these one-time fee products are delivered, we can continue managing and facilitating your Strategic Management processes for an annual subscription fee by performing the following:

• • Following up with people assigned the initiatives outlined in the Strategic Plan to assess the status of each initiative
  • Generating quarterly reports that communicate progress made in relation to specific strategic initiatives
  • Generating annual progress reports in relation to your Strategic Plan
  • Performing an annual strategic refresh for your Strategic Plan to make sure it is current and relevant by soliciting input and feedback from all the relevant stakeholders

Risk Management Plan

For a one-time fee, we will use our easy-to-use online tools to create or update a comprehensive Risk Management Plan for your academic unit or program based on input and feedback solicited from all the relevant stakeholders. The deliverables for this product include: 

Alumni Survey

For a one-time fee, we will conduct a survey among your alumni to assess their level of satisfaction with education quality, support services, campus life, etc. We will also gather data related to their employment and income level. The necessary data points can be customized depending on each client’s needs. If necessary, we will find contact information of your alumni using social media platforms, such as LinkedIn.

The deliverables will include: 

Tenure and Promotion Processing System (TAPPS)

Tenure and Promotion Processing System (TAPPS) is a simple, easy-to-use online application for collecting, processing, and managing faculty tenure and promotion data. Simple interfaces as well as easy-to-use tools for file management, communication, and voting allow a college or an entire university to facilitate and streamline processing of faculty tenure and promotion applications. TAPPS does not prescribe a specific tenure and promotion process; it supports data flow, data management, and communication in relation to tenure and promotion – no matter how unique, simple, or complicated this process is. 

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Student Analytics

For a one-time fee, we will perform a detailed analysis of your student body so that you have a better understanding of the type of market that you are serving as an educational unit. We will create a detailed, interactive report that shows student demographics and enrollment by program. 

For an annual subscription fee, we will provide a detailed student report every semester. A subscription to this service will allow you to see important student trends, such as retention and graduation rates by cohorts.

Website Content Development

Nowadays, students and their parents turn to the Web to find suitable academic programs. Your college website is often the first point of contact between your school and your potential students. Thus, you need high quality content on your website to make a good first impression on your prospective students and their parents and to generate actual applications. We have a highly experienced team of professional writers and editors that can develop high quality Web content that clearly communicates your message to current and prospective students. We will work with your students, faculty, and staff to make sure the content adequately reflects the information needs of these stakeholders. 

Consultants

Our consultants have decades of international experience in higher education administration, consulting, and all aspects of business education. Most importantly, they understand the realities that business schools are facing in various parts of the world. They are are capable of delivering simple, effective solutions that are based on international best practices and take into account country-specific requirements.

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Dr. Vlad Krotov is a Professor and MSIS Program Director at the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems in Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business at Murray State University. Dr. Vlad Krotov received his PhD in Management Information Systems and Strategic Management from the Department of Decision and Information Sciences at the University of Houston (USA). Prior to joining Murray State University, he served as an Assistant/Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs at Abu Dhabi University (Abu Dhabi, UAE). He is an internationally recognized expert in graduate business education and eLearning. 

At Abu Dhabi University he managed the creation of the Master of Strategic Leadership (MSL) Program at Abu Dhabi University and took the Master in Human Resource Management (MHRM) program through SHRM accreditation. He was responsible for accrediting and reaccrediting graduate programs (MBA, MHRM, MSL, DBA) with the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Research and AACSB. He also led the project of revising the graduate curriculum to meet the requirements of the UAE’s National Qualifications Authority(NQA) Emirates Qualification Framework. He contributed to the development and growth of the DBA Program at ADU from approximately thirty to eighty students in just a few years. He made the DBA Program a member of the Executive DBA Council and served on the Board of this organization.

At Murray State University he served as the Coordinator for the undergraduate Computer Information Systems Program and currently serves as MSIS Program Director. He is credited with growing enrollment in both programs in a very short period of time, creating robust Assurance of Learning systems and contributing to the AACSB accreditation reaffirmation for these programs. 

Vlad Krotov is an internationally recognized expert in educational technologies and eLearning. He led the conversion of several graduate programs to an intensive, six-week, online format. He is a certified QM Peer Reviewer and serves as a member of International Initiatives (iQM) at Quality Matters – the world’s leading organization for quality in online learning.

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Louie Rose Benitez is a Digital Marketing Manager. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from De La Salle University in Manila but pursued a career in Marketing. She has over 10 years of experience working in the corporate world and has served several local and international companies such as Baker & McKenzie, BDSS Media Inc., DMG Consulting, Ikon Solutions Asia Inc., and IWT Consulting. With her focus on quality and efficiency, she has contributed to the success of numerous companies and continues to provide valuable support until now.

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Dr. Nilesh Khare is a strategy professional, academic, higher ed leader, corporate advisor, CxO coach, board member, and a startup mentor. He brings more than 25 years of experience in his areas of work from USA, UAE and India. He also taught at two universities in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE.

He earned his PhD in Strategy from Fisher College of Business, the Ohio State University, USA, and taught there. Dr. Khare also holds PGDBA in Finance and Marketing, CFA form ICFAI Business School Hyderabad, and B. E. (TC & Electronics) from NIT Jaipur.

Currently, he is a Professor of Strategy, and the Dean Faculty of Management, Commerce & Economics at Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal, India. He oversees Jagran Lakecity Business School (JLBS) and JLU School of Commerce and Economics. He serves as a member on the academic council and the board of management of the University. He is leading the school and the the university emerge as an international quality academic institute. He occasionally visits IIMs, IIFM, and other premier institutes to teach in PhD and MBA programs.

His current regular consulting, advisory and coaching clients on strategy, performance management, and corporate governance include a mid-size diversified family business, a public limited company, and CxOs/directors.

Nilesh is also serving on the mentor/selection panels/advisory boards of MP State incubator- B-NEST, IIM Kolkata Innovation Park, GSFC University’s Incubation, Innovation, Technology and Applied Research Council, GEIT University’s Atal Incubation Center, and with an Indian arm of a UK Headquartered Accelerator.

He is associated as a regional and global jury member with Wadhwani Global Foundation. He sits on the advisory boards of a US based startup and an India NGO—Muskaan Dreams, dedicated to digitalizing poor and rural Govt. schools.

In the past he also worked with consulting majors such as KPMG, PwC and the Henley Center in India and in South Africa. A list of his past Consulting/MDP clients include leaders across industries in India, a regional leader in consumer food business in the USA, and private investors and industrialists in India, USA and UAE, an oil public sector enterprise in Nigeria, and a Commerce and Economics Department of Government in South Africa.

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Dr. Pitzel Krotova is the Assistant Director of Institutional Assessment at Murray State University (Kentucky, USA). She earned her EdD in P-20 and Community Leadership with a specialization in Postsecondary Leadership from Murray State University. She has over ten years of international experience in higher education and a proven track record in the following areas of academic administration and institutional effectiveness: assurance of learning, program review and accreditation, curriculum alignment, and assessment plan development. She has been heavily involved in Murray State University’s process of seeking reaffirmation of accreditation from SACSCOC. 

Prior to joining Murray State University, she was the College of Business’s Academic Quality Assurance Coordinator at Abu Dhabi University in the UAE. She was in charge of auditing and reporting assessment data as well as streamlining the assurance of learning processes via assessment technology and tools. Her work contributed to the college achieving AACSB accreditation for the first time. 

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Dr. James E. Mackin received his B.S. and M.S. degrees at the University of Michigan in 1977 and 1979, respectively.  He went on to receive his Ph.D. in Geophysical Sciences from the University of Chicago in 1983.  He became Assistant Professor of Marine Sciences at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1984.  In 1989 he was promoted to Associate Professor of Marine Sciences and was appointed Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Marine Sciences Research Center at Stony Brook.  In 1993 Dr. Mackin was appointed the faculty director of the Environmental Studies Living Learning Center at Stony Brook.  He was appointed to the position of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Stony Brook in 1997.  In July of 1998, Dr. Mackin was selected for the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs at Stillman College, a private Liberal Arts College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  He held this position until October of 2000, when he was named Dean of University College and Special Assistant to the President for Educational and Academic Development at Prairie View A&M University.  In his capacity as Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Mackin led the establishment of many new diversity programs under the Texas Commitment to Prairie View A&M University OCR Priority Plan.  In July of 2003, Dr. Mackin moved on to become the Associate Provost at Clayton State University, and in July of 2005, Dr. Mackin was named Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bloomsburg University.  Dr. Mackin led Clayton State University through a successful reaccreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and led Bloomsburg University through a successful reaccreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  In September of 2009, Dr. Mackin was named Provost at Abu Dhabi University in the UAE.  He became Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Kutztown University in July of 2014.  He moved on to become the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at SUNY Oneonta in 2015, and then became the Interim Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs at California State University, Northridge in 2019.

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Riza Marjadi is an accomplished educational technology professional with extensive experience in higher education. He holds master’s degrees in Management Information Systems, Telecommunication Systems Management, and Business Administration from Murray State University. He also holds a bachelor of engineering degree in Civil Engineering from Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, Indonesia.

He is currently serving as an Academic Systems Analyst in the Office of the Provost at Murray State University, a position he has held since January 2010. Prior to this, he worked as an Administrative/Technology Specialist in the same office from July 2007 to December 2019. In addition, he served as a Research Associate at the Bureau of Business and Economic Research from January 2001 to June 2008, and as an engineer at PT Dragages Indonesia from January 1996 to December 1996.

Throughout his career, he was involved in information management systems for accreditation efforts in college and university level. In addition to managing several third-party systems for higher education, he also has developed several web application systems to streamline academic administration processes.

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Leah Şen is a professional English Editor. A Texas native, she earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston and later became certified to teach internationally. She has over twenty years of experience teaching English and Spanish to children and adults and over fifteen years of experience editing documents for higher education and corporate clients. Her attention to detail and research skills equip her to help clients publish quality products.

Advisory Board

Our advisory board members are seasoned international leaders in higher education. They are responsible for setting the overall direction for the organization.

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Dr. Jacob M. Chacko is the Dean of the College of Business at Clayton State University (CSU) in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to joining CSU, he was the Dean of the College of Business at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) in the UAE. Dr. Chacko has also held administrative positions as Associate Dean and Department Head at the University of North Dakota.

At CSU and at ADU, Dean Chacko successfully led the AACSB accreditation process. At Clayton State University, Jacob led the initiative to develop an academic niche in Supply Chain Management. Under his leadership, the first BBA and an MBA in Supply Chain Management in Atlanta were developed. He was also instrumental in developing the Center of Supply Chain Management to connect faculty and students with practitioners and companies for consulting, training, internships, and placement purposes.

In addition to AACSB Accreditation at ADU, Jacob successfully led the College of Business through its initial EQUIS accreditation. He also has led the development of the first doctoral program at the university and in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Under his leadership, the College of Business at ADU has developed an EMBA/MGM dual degree program with the University of Tampa and undergraduate-level, dual degree, 2+2 programs with Queensland University of Technology and Monash University in Australia. In 2016 ADU’s College of Business developed and launched the Master of Strategic Leadership program which is now offered along with five areas of specializations within the MBA program and four areas of specializations within the Master of Human Resources program.

Dean Chacko was a member of AACSB’s Initial Accreditation Committee and AACSB’s MENA Advisory Council. In addition, he served on the Board of Governors of Beta Gamma Sigma, the international honor society for AACSB accredited business schools worldwide, and currently serves as Vice President of  Membership on the Board of Directors of the Southern Business Administration Association (SBAA).

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Anjan Kashyab is the Director of Business Operation at An Island, LLC, an IT/Software Consulting Company located in Indiana, USA. He has extensive experience in the technology/software industry and has been instrumental in helping to lead An Island’s strategy of growing and scaling its proprietary cloud-based ERP solutions to various local markets, especially rural areas, with the company’s vision of implementing Smart Community Platforms throughout Counties and Municipalities and long-term goal of creating good paying high-tech jobs and opportunities in Rural America through the growth of the company in those locations.

Anjan is a big advocate for community involvement and has served as a board member of various Non-Profit, Philanthropic, and Scholarship Committees such as United Way of Perry County, Perry County Community Foundation Scholarship Committee (Lilly), Schergens Foundation, Lincoln Hills Development Corporation, Schweizer Fest Committee, and Ivy Tech School of IT (Indiana) Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining An Island, Anjan completed his Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in CIS and MSIS, respectively, at Murray State University in Murray, KY all in 4 years. Anjan was a recipient of the CSIS Outstanding Senior Student of the Year Award for his graduating class at Murray State and also played College Tennis at Murray State and has been a lifelong tennis player.

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Professor Gerry Nkombo Muuka is the President and CEO of the Great Growth Academy (GGA) in Gaberone, Botswana.  Prior to his appointment in 2021, he was Dean of the College of Business at Al Ghurair University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

It is while in the AACSB accredited Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business at Murray State University in Kentucky (1994 to 2018) that Professor Muuka gained the depth and breadth of his international accreditation experience.  As Associate Dean of the College (2000 to 2015); Interim Dean (2015/2016) and Director of Accreditation (2016-2018), Professor Muuka led the preparation, monitoring, and authorship of reports that culminated in successful AACSB maintenance and continuous improvement reviews (CIRs) for the College in 2008, 2013, and in 2018.  Additionally, he has experience with SACS accreditation, as well as the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the UAE.

From 2019 to 2021, Professor Muuka was the chairman of the UAE Business Deans Council. 

His intellectual contributions (ICs) include two books, 45 articles in 24 blind, peer reviewed global journals (PRJs), six best paper awards at global conferences since 2011, and some 15 consultancies for government agencies in Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, South Pacific.  His academic qualifications include a BBA (summa cum laude) from the University of Zambia, an MBA from Murray State University, and a PhD in Business from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, United Kingdom, where he studied on a full British Commonwealth Scholarship.