We are pleased to announce that the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE) has successfully completed the EFMD Business School Impact System (BSIS) assessment process and has been awarded the BSIS label for positive impact, becoming the first business school in the US to receive it. 

The EFMD BSIS review team recognised CoBE for having a substantial and demonstrable impact across all seven BSIS dimensions, including aspects of regional influence, career gateways, entrepreneurship, responsible research, strategic corporate partnerships, and civic impact.

Addressing the school’s achievement, EFMD BSIS Director François Bonvalet remarked:

“We extend our sincere congratulations to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics on becoming the first business school in the US to receive the BSIS label, marking a significant milestone for the BSIS community. The breadth and depth of CoBE’s contribution led the team to regard the College as an important regional asset, with its impact extending well beyond its core educational mission. This reflects a clear institutional commitment to accountability and to demonstrating the value a business school creates for those it serves.”

University of Wisconsin, Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE)

Established in 1964 and serving more than 5,000 students, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Business and Economics (CoBE) is Wisconsin’s largest accredited business school, offering undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programmes grounded in rigorous academics, applied learning and strong relationships with business and the wider community.

CoBE prepares students for careers in business, leadership and academia while advancing research and professional practice. Its combination of internships, entrepreneurship, industry partnerships and personalised faculty engagement supports strong career outcomes and contributes to Wisconsin’s workforce.

A significant regional contribution

CoBE has a substantial and demonstrable impact across its 12-county regional impact zone, extending well beyond its core educational mission. The EFMD BSIS review team found that the College contributes significantly across all seven BSIS dimensions, establishing it as an important regional asset with measurable economic, educational, intellectual and societal value.

Financially, CoBE contributes to the regional economy through its operations, student spending and associated activities. The review team calculated a total economic impact of approximately $423 million, including direct, indirect, and induced effects. The team characterised this contribution as significant at local, regional and national levels, citing the College’s role in supporting employment, procurement, services and broader economic development.

Education, careers and entrepreneurship

The College’s educational impact is reflected not only in the quality of its programmes but also in the outcomes achieved by its graduates. Six months after graduation, 98% of CoBE graduates are employed or enrolled in graduate school, with three-quarters of them taking their first job within the College’s regional impact zone, reinforcing its role as a direct source of talent for area employers. This contribution extends across Wisconsin: nearly nine in 10 UW-Whitewater graduates remain in the state a decade after graduation, making the university one of Wisconsin’s critical workforce pipelines.

Reviewers identified a distinctive educational model built around accessibility, strong faculty commitment, meaningful student engagement and applied learning. Students described their experience as academically rigorous and personally supportive, with internships, consulting projects, competitions, and organisational engagement embedded in the curriculum. The scale of this applied approach is evident in the more than 800 student internships completed with regional employers in a single year. Employers and community stakeholders expressed consistent confidence in graduates’ quality, preparedness, adaptability and professionalism.

The team was particularly positive about CoBE’s contribution to business development and entrepreneurship. Internships, consulting and student projects provide practical assistance to regional organisations, while LaunchPad, the Small Business Development Center, and related initiatives support entrepreneurs through mentoring, business planning, networking and commercialisation. Together, these activities contribute to venture creation, innovation and regional economic vitality, while giving students opportunities to apply their academic knowledge to real organisational challenges.

Research, partnerships and civic impact

CoBE also demonstrated substantial intellectual impact through scholarly productivity, highly cited faculty, funded chairs, research partnerships and its applied DBA. Its work in cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection extends this contribution into national priorities. The College maintains active partnerships with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation on cybersecurity workforce development and critical infrastructure protection, linking academic expertise with the needs of government and the wider economy.

Within the region, CoBE was described as deeply embedded, trusted, accessible and collaborative, with strong relationships spanning business, government, non-profits and civil society. Its societal contribution reflects the Wisconsin Idea and extensive civic engagement by faculty, staff and students. Internships, consulting and other forms of engagement further strengthen these relationships, creating sustained links between the College, its graduates, and employers.

CoBE’s influence is also recognised beyond its immediate region. The Wall Street Journal has also recognised UW-Whitewater as the best public university in Wisconsin for student mobility and for student experience, reinforcing the institution’s reputation for creating opportunity and supporting student success.

The breadth of CoBE’s contribution led the BSIS reviewers to regard the College as an important regional asset whose influence extends well beyond education. Through its economic contribution, workforce development, applied learning, entrepreneurship, research, government partnerships and civic engagement, CoBE demonstrates how a business school can serve as a sustained driver of opportunity and regional prosperity.

Dr Paul Ambrose, Dean and Professor at the College of Business and Economics, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, USA, commented:

 “For a public business school, impact is not an aspiration. It is an obligation. The BSIS process gave us something most institutions never get: a globally credible, independently verified reckoning with how well we are meeting that obligation. What we found was a college that is genuinely changing lives — graduates who stay and build careers in Wisconsin, rural communities revitalised through student innovation, businesses strengthened through our research centres, and a regional workforce that is stronger because CoBE exists. Taken together, that work generates $423 million in annual regional economic impact — independently verified, not self-reported. BSIS gave us the framework to prove it, the discipline to document it, and the confidence to say it on the world stage. We are proud to be the first business school in the United States to earn this distinction and even prouder of the community whose work made it possible.”

About BSIS

The Business School Impact System (BSIS) is the first comprehensive impact assessment tool for business schools, covering more than 130 indicators across seven dimensions of impact. It provides a tailor-made data-collection system for monitoring, assessing, and developing the impact of business schools.

The BSIS review process involves defining the impact zone and institutional scope, collecting data, conducting an impact assessment, and producing a report with recommendations for future development. Demonstrating the school’s impact on internal and external stakeholders, the system serves as a communication and negotiation tool externally and fosters an impact culture within the school. Schools that undergo BSIS are awarded the BSIS Label for a three-year period.

• There are currently more than 100 schools across 30 countries that have received the BSIS label.
• To learn more about the impact assessment system, please visit the BSIS website or contact Julie Comte.

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 on the BSIS review process, please visit the conversation on the EFMD Business School Impact System (BSIS).