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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
idw - Informationsdienst
Wissenschaft
The Business School of Pforzheim University is pleased to announce a special recognition: Professor Dr. Thomas Cleff, Dean of the Business School since 2014, has been awarded the AACSB Global Impact Award 2026 in the category Excellence in Service: Accreditation Volunteer. Through this award, AACSB International honors individuals whose long-standing and far-reaching commitment significantly strengthens the quality of international management education.
With this distinction, AACSB acknowledges Professor Cleff’s exceptional contributions to international quality assurance. In recent years, he has served in numerous roles supporting the advancement of global standards, including his long-term membership on the Initial Accreditation Committee (2016–2023) and, since 2024, on the Continuous Improvement Review Committee. In addition, he has taken part in 26 accreditation visits worldwide, 17 of them as Chair, thereby playing a decisive role in the qualitative development of the international higher education landscape.
“I am deeply honored by this recognition from AACSB,” emphasizes Professor Dr. Thomas Cleff. “It highlights the importance of international collaboration and shared quality standards in management education, and it is also a valuable acknowledgment of the dedicated work that all members of Pforzheim Business School have contributed to this field over many years.”
Thomas Cleff has been Professor of Quantitative Methods at Pforzheim University since 2000. After working at the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim and completing his studies at Université Panthéon-Sorbonne and the University of Wuppertal, he assumed various strategic responsibilities within the Business School, including the development of the Bachelor’s program in International Marketing and, since 2014, leadership of the faculty. He is also active on numerous international advisory boards and serves on the board of the Network of International Business and Economics Schools (NIBES).
The AACSB Global Impact Awards 2026 honor 27 individuals and institutions from 16 countries whose contributions significantly advance global business education. The official recognition will take place during the AACSB International Conference and Meetings (ICAM) from 13–15 April 2026 in Seattle.
For the Business School of Pforzheim University, the recognition of its Dean represents both a confirmation of its longstanding international orientation and an incentive to continue its commitment to the highest academic standards.
Dr. Thomas Cleff (thomas.cleff@hs-pforzheim.de)
Dr. Thomas Cleff has been awarded the AACSB Global Impact Award 2026
Copyright: Sarah Kania-Dietz/ Hochschule Pforzheim
AACSB Global Impact Award for Dr. Thomas Cleff
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