We are thrilled to announce that the University of Canterbury Business School has become the first institution in New Zealand to successfully complete the Business School Impact System (BSIS) assessment process. Warm congratulations!

Addressing the school for this achievement, BSIS Director François Bonvalet remarked,

‘Congratulations to UC Business School – the first institution to receive the BSIS label in New Zealand! The assessment unveiled the substantial positive impact it wields on its community in all the examined areas. The BSIS team commends UC Business School’s entrepreneurial spirit, societal impact, and academic excellence. We look forward to seeing their continued innovation and growing positive influence.”

University of Canterbury Business School

The University of Canterbury Business School, with its mission of being ‘In the Business of Making a Difference,’ aims to foster robust connections with the corporate world and society to ensure that its teaching is firmly rooted in current business practices and contributes to sustainable goals. In 2021, the UC Business School transitioned into a standalone academic unit within the University of Canterbury, with a clear strategic direction– to combine knowledge with soft skills, life experiences, and a strong focus on biculturalism.

UC Business School activities are a solid source of positive impact within Christchurch, the Canterbury region, and New Zealand. The BSIS assessment revealed the school’s significant influence on regional business creation, propelled by numerous entrepreneurial projects and a robust local economic network. Remarkably, BSIS also acknowledged the school’s societal impact, reflected in its curriculum, stakeholder conduct, and steadfast pursuit of responsible management and kaitiakitanga – Māori term referring to the protection of the environment. UC Business School further stands out in the realm of academic impact, primarily through research activities that enrich key domains of business and management, effectively informing its teaching practices.

Paul Ballantine, Executive Dean, UC Business School commented, ’The UC Business School’s mission is ‘In the Business of Making a Difference’ (ko te whakapiki mana tā mātou mahi). The BSIS impact assessment moves us beyond simply having a mission, to actually understanding and communicating how we are making that difference across a number of dimensions, and the positive impact we have on our local region and globally.

The BSIS impact assessment has enabled us to identify our key strengths and highlight the areas of distinctiveness that make the UC Business School unique in order to further connect and develop our relationships. Of course, we are also very happy to be the first Business School within Australasia (or more widely Oceania) to receive the BSIS label.’

About BSIS

The Business School Impact System (BSIS) scheme is designed to determine the extent of a school’s impact on its local environment – the city or region in which it is located. The BSIS process is offered in collaboration between EFMD Global and FNEGE (Fondation Nationale pour l’Enseignement en Gestion des Entreprises), as a service to EFMD members in any part of the world. The impact of the business school is analysed based on the following seven areas of impact: financial, educational, business development impact as well as intellectual, societal, image, and impact within the impact zone selected by the school and its regional ecosystem.

There are currently 65 schools across 20 countries that have received the BSIS label.

To learn more about the impact assessment system, please visit the BSIS website or contact julie.comte@efmdglobal.org.

What is it like for schools to undergo the BSIS process? Discover the compelling journey of Blanka Cimcioch, International Accreditations Coordinator at Poznań University of Economics and Business, as she shares her insights on navigating the BSIS process, highlighting the challenges, seizing the opportunities, and reaping the rewarding results it has yielded. Read more

For additional insights, announcements and perspectives about BSIS, visit the conversation here.