Dr. Dwayne Banks elected to Board of Directors of IACBE

He will serve as the representative for the IACBE's Asian region.

The IACBE accredits business degree programs in over 225 colleges and universities in over 20 countries.

Dr. Banks was elected to the Board of Directors during the IACBE's 2009 International Conference, held in Louisville, Kentucky on April 1-3. AUD is now the only university in the Middle East that is directly represented on the Board of Directors of an American accrediting body.

According to Dr. Robert H. (Bob) Roller, IACBE President:

"Dr. Banks' business background, academic experience, and international perspective ideally equip him for his role in guiding the strategy and business affairs of the IACBE. He is an advocate of excellence in business education and of the role that the IACBE and its member colleges and universities play in preparing today's students for tomorrow's workplace."

After completing a self-study in 2004 under Dr. Jihad Nader's leadership and receiving an IACBE site visit, AUD's School of Business Administration (SBA) obtained full IACBE accreditation in 2005 and became the first IACBE-accredited business school outside of the Americas and Europe.

Dr. Jihad Nader, Provost and Chief Academic Officer explains:
"Since being appointed as SBA Dean in 2006, Dr. Banks has successfully managed and developed the School's IACBE accreditation and was commended by an IACBE Commissioners visiting team in January 2009 for his leadership of the SBA. Dr. Banks' election to the IACBE Board of Directors constitutes recognition of the resident expertise in the SBA, in the area of ongoing quality improvement. AUD is now the only university in the Middle East that is directly represented on the Board of Directors of an American accrediting body."

On his new appointment, Dr. Banks comments:
"I'm truly honoured by my election to the Board of Directors of the IACBE. Having this appointment occur less than 3 months after our recent IACBE reaccredidation visit, makes this even more exciting. It simply reaffirms my belief that our faculty are the most dedicated and student-focused faculty in the region. I could not have attained this honour without their unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, research and community service. Hence, my accomplishments as Dean is simply a reflection of the joint efforts of our faculty."

Commenting on Dr. Banks' appointment, Dr. Hosein Gharavi, Chair of Management and e-Business and Assistant Professor of Management, says:
"Having this appointment occurring less than 3 months after the IACBE visit to the SBA illustrates how impressed the IACBE delegation were with the achievements of the SBA under the leadership of Dr. Banks. His academic experience, international perspective, and advocacy for excellence in business education are a true inspiration for us all"

While congratulating Dr. Banks, Dr. Tarek Mady, Chair of Marketing and Marketing Communications and Assistant Professor of Marketing commented:
"This is indeed a proud moment for the SBA. This appointment demonstrates Dr. Banks' commitment to academic business excellence and his continued ability to lead our business school to new heights". He continues: "It is a pleasure to work directly with you and I'm sure the IACBE will truly benefit from your deserved appointment to their Board of Directors".

Dr. Mohammed Abu Ali, Chair, Dept. of Accounting & Finance and Assistant Professor of Economics noted:
"I and the faculty at the Department of Accounting and Finance in the School of Business Administration congratulate Dr. Banks for his appointment to the Board of Directors for the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE), serving as the representative for the IACBE's Asian region. Dr. Banks' leadership, dedication, academic excellence, and relentless support to his team and faculty at the school of Business Administration have been the driving force behind many great achievements and the major improvement in our school. I am confident that our team under Dr. Banks' leadership is getting closer to position the school of Business Administration at AUD as "the school of choice in the region".

This is indeed a proud moment for us at the SBA and illustrates his dedication to the AUD as a centre for teaching excellence. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Dwayne Banks for this wonderful achievement and deserved appointment as the member of the Board of Directors for the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE).