Please enter search keywords
In August 2020, the Graduate School of Management (GSM) at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) earned accreditation from the Association of MBAs (AMBA), a U.K.-based international accreditation agency for graduate level management education, thus recognizing APU as a provider of world-class MBA education. Only 277 business schools, or 2% of the world’s business schools, have AMBA accreditation, and GSM is just the second business school in Japan to earn accreditation from AMBA.
This accreditation demonstrates that APU's MBA program offers students an education aligned with the highest global standards and will prove beneficial to students seeking employment or further education in Japan or around the world upon graduation. Earning AMBA accreditation will invigorate APU’s interactions with other AMBA-accredited institutions in 75 countries and regions around the globe.
Established in London, England in 1967, the Association of MBAs is one of the world’s most prestigious accreditation agencies for management education. AMBA only accredits master's degree (MBA, MBM) and doctoral degree (DBA) programs in management education. To obtain accreditation, an institution must clear a strict screening of 10 criteria pertaining to educational content, faculty, students, and other factors. To maintain its accreditation, the institution must undergo a re-accreditation process within a certain period of time determined by AMBA, all the while striving to maintain and improve the quality of its programs.
Association of MBAs (Note: External link)
In August of 2016, the School of Management (SOM) at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) was awarded accreditation by AACSB International, a global membership organization of educational institutions, businesses, and other entities committed to the advancement of management education. AACSB-accredited business schools are required to provide high-quality management education and continuously improve. SOM was the third institution in Japan to receive this accreditation and the second to receive accreditation for both its undergraduate and graduate programs. This accreditation confirms that SOM provides world-class management education.
In order to maintain its accreditation, SOM must undergo a review every five years to confirm that it fulfills AACSB's strict criteria and show improvement since the previous review. In October of 2022, SOM was reaccredited, thereby maintaining its place amongst the 6% of business school programs worldwide to have earned AACSB and making APU one of only 6 universities in Japan to earn this accreditation.
*The School of Management at APU is made up of the College of International Management (APM) and the Graduate School of Management (GSM).
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is a global membership organization of educational institutions, businesses, and other entities committed to the advancement of management education. Established in 1916, AACSB provides its members with a variety of products and services to assist them with the continuous improvement of their business schools.
AACSB International (Note: External link)
The College of Sustainability and Tourism has been awarded the TedQual (Tourism Education Quality) Certification by UN Tourism (formerly the United Nations World Tourism Organization/UNWTO) for the period of February 2026 to February 2030. Through this certification, the College is part of an international collaborative network for education and research in tourism studies.
The Hospitality and Tourism cluster within the College of Asia Pacific Studies first obtained this certification in March 2018. As of its expiry, the certification was renewed under the newly established College of Sustainability and Tourism. APU has been granted re-certification for the longest possible period of four years as a result of the high evaluation of the university's efforts.
TedQual Certification is based on the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism as set forth by UN Tourism—which includes promoting tourism and world peace through tourism, non-discrimination, multiculturalism, freedom of movement, and freedom of employment—ensuring that education and research are conducted in a manner that does not contradict the spirit of the Code. The aim of this code is in line with the academic goals of the University and the College of Sustainability and Tourism. UN Tourism offers a variety of academic and exchange programs to TedQual certified institutions. Thus, as a part of this network, the College will be able to build further connections with universities and institutions and establish agreements for international education and research collaboration.
The world's largest international tourism body, UN Tourism (previously the United Nations World Tourism Organization/UNWTO) was founded in January 1975 and became a specialized agency within the UN in 2003. It supports the improvement of the status and competitiveness of tourism, the promotion of sustainable tourism, and the promotion of development and poverty reduction through tourism.
For more information visit the UN Tourism website at https://www.untourism.int/ . (External link. Information available in English.).
Copyright (c) 2016 Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University
