“Diversity and inclusion are core values”

The U.S.-based AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) recently decided to remove all references to "diversity" and "inclusion" from its accreditation standards. "Diversity" and "Inclusion" have been replaced with "Community and Connectedness."

The School’s Dean, Måns Söderbom, along with fellow deans from over 30 Nordic business schools, expressed concern over this change in an open letter to the AACSB leadership.

– We will continue to strengthen our work on diversity and inclusion. These values are essential to the School of Business, Economics and Law, and we will uphold them in our education, research, and daily operations, regardless of whether they are explicitly stated in AACSB's standards or not. Ensuring diverse and inclusive learning environments is crucial for preparing our students for future roles as leaders in an increasingly complex and globalized world, says Måns Söderbom.

In the letter to AACSB, the Nordic business schools argue that education and research should always remain independent of political pressures and uphold the principle of academic freedom for all. They recommend that AACSB uphold its core guiding principles and clearly signal that diversity and inclusion may remain valuable – also for accreditation purposes – outside the U.S.

Text: Maria Norrström