Great Lakes, Chennai, gets AACSB Accreditation - Achieves Double Crown

November, 2023: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, has gained the prestigious AACSB accreditation, considered among the world’s leading accreditations for Business Schools. Founded in 1916, AACSB is the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools and is the world’s largest business education alliance, connecting educators, learners, and business. The AACSB accreditation places Great Lakes in an elite league of leading educational institutions globally and recognizes its commitment to academic excellence, innovative pedagogy, industry relevant curriculum and research.

In addition to AACSB, Great Lakes, Chennai, already has the AMBA (UK) accreditation. With this milestone, Great Lakes joins a select group of 10 top b-schools in India to have ‘Double Crown’ of global accreditations. A business school is said to have a Double Crown status if it has secured any two out of the three International Accreditations namely AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS. Additionally, Great Lakes, Chennai, also has the SAQS accreditation and its PGDM program is accredited by NBA.

Commenting of receiving the accreditation, Prof. Suresh Ramanathan, Dean, Great Lakes Institute of Management, said, “The AACSB accreditation is a recognition of the high standards that we have set over the years in delivering rigorous, innovative and industry relevant content in the classroom and preparing world-class future ready business talent. The AACSB accreditation further reinforces our commitment to achieving world-class standards of scholarship and pedagogy with the aim of having a lasting impact on business as well as society."

Mr. Mohan Lakhamraju, Chairman, Great Lakes, while congratulating and thanking all stakeholders said, “The AACSB accreditation is a further testament to our commitment of offering global quality education in India and further re-affirms our motto of 'Global Mindset - Indian Roots'. It is the result of continuous efforts of our fantastic team as well as constant support from our industry partners, students and alumni.”

Prof. VishwanathanIyer, Director of Accreditations at Great Lakes said, "The rigorous AACSB accreditation process and inputs from Deans around the world who are part of the peer-assessment will further help us in following global best practices".

This accolade also marks a significant milestone in Great Lakes' legacy as it completes two decades being one of top b-schools in India, continuing its journey of shaping global business leaders who can make a lasting impact on the society.

Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai founded in 2004 by Padma Shri Awardee Dr. Bala V Balachandran is one of the premier B-schools in India. Great Lakes has, within a short span of 19 years, emerged as a top-ranked business school. Great Lakes has 50+ full-time faculty and 150+ visiting faculty including over 25+ international faculty from top global schools like Yale, Kellogg, Stanford, and Harvard. Further collaborations with the world’s leading institutions like Cornell University, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, University of Bordeaux, SKEMA Business, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management etc., have helped Great Lakes globally benchmark its programs.

Great Lakes, Chennai, was accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA), UK in 2014 and became the youngest B-school in India to receive this prestigious international accreditation. In 2017, its two-year PGDM program was accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) and it is currently in the highest Tier 1 Category.

Great Lakes has a 30-acre LEED Platinum-rated green campus in Chennai and a second campus in Gurgaon in the corporate hub of Delhi- NCR. In the year 2019, Great Lakes Gurgaon campus received the prestigious AMBA accreditation. It was also ranked among the top 5 emerging business schools by the National HRD Network (NHRDN) for the year 2018-19. Great Lakes Gurgaon was also ranked 12^th by Business World for its one-year program in the year 2021.

Great Lakes offers One Year full-time MBA (PGPM) for experienced professionals, Two-year MBA (PGDM), Part-Time Executive MBA for senior managers, and Weekend Executive MBA Program. Great Lakes alumni currently numbering 13,000+, work at world-renowned organizations both in India and overseas across 30+ nations.