Ball State University’s Risk Management and Insurance program, an academic offering within the University’s Miller College of Business, has received a rare, praise-worthy recognition. The program has been re-certified for its Global Centers of Insurance Excellence (GCIE) designation by the non-profit International Insurance Society (IIS).
Granted to very few schools, the GCIE designation is widely regarded as a major distinction for universities and colleges with outstanding risk management and insurance academic programs. Only 35 schools representing 11 countries have been chosen for GCIE certification since 2017, when IIS started selecting universities and colleges for GCIE designations. Of the 35 schools, 20 are in the United States.
Ball State’s Risk Management and Insurance program was in the inaugural GCIE designation class of 2017.
“Getting re-certified for GCIE demonstrates that Ball State University’s Miller College of Business continues to offer an exemplary academic program in risk management and insurance education—and continues to be a pipeline for well-educated and prepared top talent in this industry,” said Dr. Stephen Avila, professor of finance and insurance in Miller College of Business.
According to the IIS website, a university or college must meet stringent criteria centered on student qualifications, course offerings, graduate and industry employment rates, and professional involvement to earn this coveted certification.
“We have a comprehensive program with faculty conducting active research in the industry,” Dr. Avila said. “We’re also meeting the requirements for the number of graduates and the percentage of graduates entering the industry.
“Meeting the standards for a GCIE designation and re-certification—by preparing emerging leaders for the industry; conducting timely, relevant research; and enhancing knowledge through valuable course offerings—is a tribute to Ball State’s support for faculty, students, and alumni to excel in this area,” he added.
With its GCIE certification program, IIS aims to encourage universities and colleges to play significant roles in advancing insurance knowledge, enhancing insurance research, and establishing strong ties between the insurance industry and top-tier academic risk management and insurance education programs worldwide.
Ball State’s Miller College of Business continues to be one of few education institutions recognized as a provider of a top-tier academic program for risk management and insurance education.
