Business School celebrates triple crown

In a crowning achievement, the University of Auckland Business School is one of the best in the world, successfully gaining triple crown accreditation - a mark of excellence held by only one percent of business schools globally.  

The Business School was the first in Australasia to attain triple crown status in 2004, a recognition it has maintained for two decades.

Triple crown status is achieved if a business school can meet the strict requirements of three international accreditation bodies – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).

The Business School is the longest-standing triple crown accredited school in the region, with all three international accrediting bodies praising many aspects of its operations in the latest round of accreditation awards.

The European Quality Improvement System awarded accreditation to the School based on overall quality, viability and a commitment to continuous improvement. It also considered internationalisation and corporate connections.

The Business School's commitment to excellence, academic quality and innovative programme design were among several areas that impressed assessors from the Association of MBAs, an institution known for stringent criteria that evaluate teaching, curriculum and student interaction. 

Meanwhile, accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business is achieved by just six percent of the world's business schools and is considered the gold standard in global business education.

Business schools that earn this accreditation must demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching, research, curriculum development and student success. In the latest accreditation renewal, the organisation commended the Business School for its outstanding research engagement, research-led teaching and strong commitment to positive societal impact through faculty and departmental research centres.

It said: "The recent establishment of the Energy Centre and Inclusive Capitalism Centre as faculty-level research centres has brought increased emphasis to research agendas of critical significance for New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region."

It also praised the Business School for actively driving initiatives to improve research impact, such as the national research translation competition, which sees academics translate complex studies into relatable reads.

“Additionally, the experience of the School in developing a wide range of research engagements and collaborations with industry partners, such as with prominent Māori owned seafood company, Moana New Zealand, lead the way in informing classroom learning through rich case study development that prioritises local issues and solutions.”

Business School Dean Susan Watson says the triple crown achievement is a testament to the School's exceptional performance across teaching, research, student success and industry engagement.

"With the successful completion of all three accreditations in an exceptionally compressed timeframe, the Business School continues to demonstrate remarkable organisational capability and sustained excellence," she says.

"This recognises our innovative programme design, impactful research and meaningful industry engagement - both in New Zealand and on the world stage."

She says the Business School also earned accolades for its cultural leadership.

"Our unique integration of Māori perspectives and commitment to diversity sets us apart globally. We combine international best practice with local cultural excellence.”