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50 BizEd MAY | JUNE 2015 at the beginning educating the faculty about AoL and its role in continuously improving the curriculum to strengthen student learning," says Jelavić. "Now, even if faculty do not have to measure a particular learning goal, they still use the rubrics in their courses." TODAY AND TOMORROW Because of its commitment to faculty, research, and assurance of learning, ZSEM achieved accreditation in 2013— coincidentally, that was the same year that Croatia entered the European Union. ZSEM's student body also has grown—the school now boasts 1,076 undergraduate students, 237 MBA stu- dents, and 1,909 alumni. Administrators admit that their journey hasn't always been smooth, but it's been exciting and deeply rewarding. Not only have they built a high-quality private business school, they say, but they've also expe- rienced tangible benefits brought about by accreditation. "Because the business community recognizes that AACSB accreditation has high value, we've strengthened our position in Europe as well as Croatia," says Njavro. "Our educational partners also have confidence in us because we're accredited." For example, he says, the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland made it very clear it would only partner with ZSEM if the school was accredited. And six months after ZSEM achieved that goal, the two entered an alliance. "I think in the future we can expect to enroll more students from di•erent parts of Europe," Njavro says. "And because business- es throughout Europe also recognize AACSB accreditation, our graduates will have opportunities in Croatia and other parts of the world." Njavro and his colleagues believe that AACSB's new guiding principles of innovation, impact, and engagement will shape ZSEM's next steps in continuous growth and development. The school's entrepreneurial culture has always supported continuous innovation in ac- ademic programs, he notes. He expects that faculty will continue to focus on scholarly activities aimed at achieving a stronger impact on management theory and practice; and he also believes faculty will become even more engaged with businesses and have more influence on economic conditions in Croatia and Southeastern Europe. For these reasons, he and his colleagues believe the young business school can look to the future with confidence and passion. Julie Dziekan Felker is visiting professor of organizational behavior and human resource management at the Zagreb School of Economics and Management in Croatia, and faculty a•liate and senior organizational development consultant to the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. THE WAY TO ACCREDITATION Currently, only a handful of business schools in Central and Eastern Europe are accredited by AACSB, but administrators at the Zagreb School of Economics and Management hope their story will inspire others to pursue accreditation. To that end, they o‰er this advice: Lead with a strong vision. Communicate a clear mission to internal and external stakeholders. In every public speech and every public appearance, the dean should talk about what accreditation means and why it is important. Be willing to examine your school deeply. Any kind of honest, structured self-assessment and monitoring will benefit the faculty, the students, and the school. This assessment will help administra- tors focus their thinking and determine a direction to follow. Become a member of AACSB. A business school earns respect from its alumni and business leaders just by joining the association, because such an action proves the school is committed to high-qual- ity business education. Members also have opportunities to attend conferences and seminars, where they can gather in-depth knowl- edge about managing their institutions. Involve stakeholders extensively. Without widespread partici- pation, accreditation is not possible. Almost everyone in the school must be involved in some way. Administrators must speak to many stakeholders to discover what they think is the school's unique value proposition. Even so, administrators should involve the most enthu- siastic people at the outset, because they will help the process gain momentum. Seek advice from other schools. Schools that already have gone through the accreditation process can provide invaluable assistance and moral support. Plus, such networking leads to future partnership between schools. Be persistent, be patient, be passionate, and be prepared! Dean Đuro Njavro addresses graduates of the MBA program. PHOTO BY ZSEM STUDENT DOMAGOJ BORSCAK