To better complete the Standards Alignment Plan, the School of Management, University of Science and Technology of China invited its AACSB Mentor to pay another on-site visit. Eric Spangenberg, dean of Business College, Washington State University and his associate dean, David Whidbee spent five full days at USTC during Nov. 4-8th. After discussed every single Standard of the School’s Standards Alignment Plan with the accreditation team, Prof. Spangenberg and Dr. Whidbee gave a positive comment, and they said they hoped the School submit the Plan in due time.

 (Discussion of every standard with the accreditation team)

President HOU Jianguo met Prof. Spangenberg and Dr. Whidbee at the noon of 8th November. President HOU exchanged the development strategy of USTC and the School of Management, and he expressed his appreciation to their support and guidance for the School’s AACSB Accreditation. 

 
(Prof. Spangenberg (left) and Dr. Whidbee (right) met President HOU)

Prof. Spangenberg gave a presentation on his recent research, entitled A Meta-Analytic Synthesis of the Question-Behavior Effect in the afternoon of 7th November. The academic presentation attracted many graduate students. 
 

(Prof. Spangenberg’s presentation)

The Standards Alignment Plan is an action plan showing how the School will address its areas for improvement during the period of PreAccreditation and how the School will maintain continuous improvements in its program. The Plan outlines what gaps need to be closed to meet AACSB standards expectations and how current activities meet the expectations of the standards, which ones, and how. The Mentor, assigned by AACSB Initial Accreditation Committee (IAC), thoroughly reviews the applicant’s Progress Report towards the development of the Standards Alignment Plan and the Standards Alignment Plan itself and submits a written recommendation to the IAC.

(WANG Hongyu, School of Management)