School of Business Ranked Second Best in Africa
BY MAHITAB ADLY
@MAHITABALAA
In a major boost for AUC’s regional stature, the School of Business was recently ranked the second best of its kind in Africa by the EDUNIVERSAL convention at Harvard University.
EDUNIVERSAL, an academic institution in France, has ranked business schools globally and regionally based on their programs since 1994.
Business schools worldwide apply to be ranked by EDUNIVERSAL. A thousand deans from various schools of business rank the registered institutions.
“This means that we are meeting the standards of North America and Europe or exceeding,” said Associate Dean of School of Business Ahmed Hassanein.
Hassanein explained that AUC’s School of Business is in a unique position, being compared to its peers mostly in the US or Western Europe. “They don’t operate in as a challenging and dynamic environment as we are today,” Hassanein said.
In order for a university to become a member at EDUNIVERSAL, its program needs to be international, innovative and contemporary. Applicants are also assessed based on the extent their graduates are prepared to work globally.
Once a university feels like it has met the criteria to become an EDUNIVERSAL member, they apply to get evaluated.
“[AUC’s School of Business] applied for membership and was accepted because it has met the required criteria of the institution,” Hassanein said.
“Securing the accreditations we have for next semester will send a strong message that we didn’t get this far by a matter of luck, but by our hard work,” Hassanein told The Caravan.
Hassanein says there are 14,700 schools of business worldwide, and only 67 have the triple accreditation, including AUC, who received it late last year. The triple accreditation, also known as the triple crown, is the highest accreditation level for business schools worldwide.
AUC School of Business is now accredited by three different institutions; the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Association of MBA (AMBA), and European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).
“We are moving up the rankings in our undergraduate and graduate programs in the region. Our venture lab was also ranked first,” said Marwa Gad El-Hak, specialist in the office of student services, in the AUC School of Business.
Lena El-Ghor, a junior majoring in business administration, says that the ranking of second best in Africa is a marketing boon for AUC and reflects “how truly great the education provided in our university is.”
“I also think this will have a great influence not only on the School of Business’ students’ prestige, including my own, but also on enhancing AUC’s standard of education as a whole,” El-Ghor added.
In the year ahead, the School of Business will be looking to get AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS reaccredited.
Hassanein says securing these proves the School is consistently maintaining a level of excellence and hard work.
