By Dr. Vlad Krotov

AACSB Standard 9 and its Importance

AACSB’s Standard 9: Engagement and Societal Impact is, in many ways, one of the most important elements of the accreditation framework. It asks business schools to look outward and demonstrate not only what they teach or research, but also how they make a meaningful difference in society.

Yet, despite its importance and intuitive appeal, AACSB Standard 9 is also one of the most frequently misunderstood standards. Quite often, it’s not because schools lack impact, but because they struggle to define it clearly, measure it rigorously, and align it strategically.

Common Mistakes in Relation to AACSB Standard 9

Over time, three recurring patterns emerge in schools that find themselves struggling with this standard. The mistakes that schools make in meeting the requirements of AACSB Standard 9 are usually related to three areas: focus, evidence, and alignment. Each of these areas is discussed in more detail in the sections below. 

Mistake 1: No Clear Focus

Most business schools are deeply engaged in their communities. They support small businesses, encourage student consulting projects, partner with nonprofits, and contribute to regional development in various ways. These efforts are real, meaningful, and often impressive.

However, a common problem arises when these activities are presented as a collection of disconnected initiatives, rather than as part of a coherent societal impact strategy.

The underlying assumption seems to be: the more we do, the stronger our case. In reality, the opposite is often true. When a school attempts to demonstrate impact across too many unrelated areas, its narrative becomes diluted. Reviewers are left asking a simple but critical question:

What is this school actually trying to achieve in terms of societal impact?

AACSB is not evaluating how many good things a school does. Instead AACSB is evaluating whether the school has made a deliberate, strategic choice about where it wants to make a difference and whether this impact is clearly demonstrated.

Strong business schools resolve this by focusing their efforts. They identify one primary area of societal impact, such as entrepreneurship, sustainability, regional economic development, etc. After that, they formulate a coherent strategy around it. Other activities may still exist, but they are secondary. The primary focus provides strategic clarity and direction. 

Mistake 2: No Evidence of Impact

If lack of focus is the first issue, lack of evidence is the second problem. Many accreditation reports are filled with statements describing what the school did:

• “We hosted workshops for local businesses.”
  
• “Students completed consulting projects.”
  
• “Faculty formed partnerships with external stakeholders.”

While these statements often reflect valuable and time-consuming efforts, they stop short of demonstrating what Standard 9 actually requires: impact.

This distinction is subtle but critical:

Activities describe effort. Impact demonstrates results.

Without evidence of outcomes, even the most impressive initiatives can appear superficial. Reviewers are not simply asking, “What did you do?” They are asking:

What changed because of what you did?

A shift in mindset is required. Schools must move from reporting inputs and outputs to documenting outcomes and effects.

Consider the difference:

Activity-Oriented Statement	Impact-Oriented Statement
“We conducted 10 workshops”	“45 small businesses improved financial performance, with average revenue increasing by 12%”
“Students completed projects”	“Students completed projects”

The principle is straightforward:

If you cannot measure it, you cannot claim it as impact.

This does not mean every outcome must be perfectly quantified. However, credible evidence, whether quantitative or qualitative, must demonstrate that something meaningful has changed as a result of the school’s efforts.

Mistake 3: No Alignment with Mission

Even when schools define an impact area and attempt to measure it, a third issue often undermines their efforts: misalignment with the school’s mission and core activities.

It is not uncommon for schools to select a societal impact theme because it is timely or widely valued. For example, environmental sustainability is an important and globally relevant issue. But problems arise when this chosen focus is not supported by the school’s actual capabilities.

A typical scenario looks like this:

• The school claims sustainability as a key impact area
  
• Offers no sustainability-related courses
  
• Produces little or no research in the field
  
• Has limited faculty expertise or partnerships in that domain

In such cases, the societal impact narrative begins to feel disconnected and almost symbolic rather than substantive.

Reviewers quickly recognize this gap and ask:

If this is truly your focus, where is the evidence across your system?

Strong schools ensure alignment between their chosen area of impact and their overall strategy. Their societal impact is not an isolated theme. It is embedded across the institution.

This alignment typically includes such areas as:

• Strategic Planning (Standard 1): Societal impact is included in strategic planning
• Curriculum (Standard 4): Courses reflect the impact focus
• Research (Standard 8): Faculty produce relevant work
• Engagement (Standard 9): Partnerships reinforce the same theme

Most importantly, the chosen area of societal impact should be formalized in the strategic plan, supported by:

• Clear goals
  
• Specific objectives
  
• Defined initiatives
  

This ensures that impact is not accidental but intentional and sustainable.

From Fragmentation to Strategy

Taken together, these challenges point to a broader transformation in relation to its social impact strategy that a business school must undergo. The transition is not about doing more; it is about becoming more focused and intentional with respect to creating a positive societal impact.

The table below contrasts a strong approach to societal impact with one that is weak and superficial. 

Weak Approach	Strong Approach
Many disconnected activities	One clear impact focus
Descriptions of effort	Evidence of outcomes
Loose alignment	Mission-driven integration
Ad hoc initiatives	Strategic execution

How an Accreditation Consultant Can Help

In many cases, business schools already possess the ingredients needed for a strong Standard 9 narrative. What they lack is not activity, but coherence.

An external accreditation consultant, such as Accreditation.Biz, can play a critical role in bridging this gap. Specifically, an accreditation consultant can help with the following: 

• Fresh perspective: Help identify a societal impact area that naturally aligns with the school’s mission
• Clear metrics: Help define specific and measurable outcomes
• System alignment: Help ensure integration across strategy, teaching, research, and engagement
• Ongoing support: Assist with monitoring, evaluating, and refining impact over time

Standard 9 is not a one-time reporting exercise. It requires continuous attention and structure. The right guidance can make a significant difference in the time and effort it takes to meet this, without any doubt, important AACSB standard. 

Conclusion: Clarity Over Quantity

Most business schools are already contributing to society in meaningful ways. The challenge posed by Standard 9 is not to increase activity but to increase clarity, focus, and evidence in relation to societal impact.

In the end, a strong societal impact narrative answers these four simple yet demanding questions: 

• What impact do we aim to create?
• How are we creating it?
• Is it aligned with our strategy? 
• What evidence shows that it is actually happening?

Schools that can answer these questions convincingly are not only better positioned for AACSB accreditation but also better positioned to fulfill their broader purpose within society. And that, ultimately, is what Standard 9 is all about.