Innovative 'Māori MBA' reaches finals of international competition

A unique MBA programme for Māori leaders has been named one of four finalists in the inaugural MBA Innovation Award offered by the London-based Association of MBAs (AMBA).

Developed to foster indigenous ways of doing business with a collaborative ethos, the programme is a partnership between the University of Waikato Management School and the Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development at Hopuhopu.

“The Waikato MBA partnership with the College combines academic rigour and traditional Māori ways of learning,” says Waikato Management School Dean Professor Frank Scrimgeour.

“It’s an ideal approach to MBA education for Māori leaders, and for the programme to have reached the finals of AMBA’s MBA Innovation Award illustrates the success of our partnership with the College and the University’s commitment to new approaches in management education.”

AMBA is one of three international management education accreditation bodies whose combined accreditations form the prestigious Triple Crown held by a select group of business schools around the world. Waikato Management School is one of only three Australasian business schools to have achieved Triple Crown accreditation.

The Waikato MBA delivered at the Waikato-Tainui College offers a contextualised curriculum that is focused on being culturally responsive, transformational and challenging.

“The vision for this MBA programme is to advance Māori leadership within the global business environment.” says the College’s Academic Director Dr Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai. “To be recognised as a finalist is an incredible honour and testament to the uniqueness of this MBA programme.”

The programme accepted its first intake of 24 students in April this year, and is delivered in a wānanga environment at the Waikato-Tainui College. It promotes collaborative learning with guest speakers and mentoring support from Māori leaders, including Waikato MBA Māori graduates.

“We are training future Māori leaders to work in a dynamic and fast changing business environment, and providing a platform to shape how Māori do business,” says Waikato Management School Associate Dean Enterprise Dr Peter Sun.

The winner of the MBA Innovation Award will be announced at a gala dinner in London on October 19.