The University of Waikato has recently been ranked as one of the top institutions in the world for accounting, according to the latest BYU Accounting Research Rankings.
The Waikato Management School’s accounting programme has been ranked first in New Zealand and Australia for Accounting Information Systems (AIS) Research, and first out of 630 universities worldwide for Experimental Research in Accounting Information Systems.
AIS research involves the investigation and design of the technologies and information systems used to collect, store and analyse the data that businesses use to make critical decisions. Experimental research in AIS employs experimental research methods that allow researchers to test the effects of new technologies and systems on their users.
The rankings come from the BYU Accounting Research Rankings, which are based on award-winning research, and are considered the ‘gold-standard’ for comparing the research quality of accounting programmes throughout the world.
Waikato Management School’s Head of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Professor Frank Scrimgeour, says the rankings are a great result for the School and the University.
“These rankings elevate the Waikato Management School to the pinnacle of research involving the intersections of accounting, information technology and analytics, which represent the future growth areas in the accounting profession.
“The rankings for experimental research demonstrate the commitment of the school to accounting research that is future-focussed, and seeks to solve real-world problems.”
Jake Rose, Professor of Accounting, says the latest research rankings highlight the commitment of the School to develop world-class programmes driven by cutting-edge research.
“We are very proud to be part of a programme that is leading the way in the areas that will have the most influence on the future of the accounting profession, and the ability of our students to succeed in a rapidly changing environment.”
Professor Jake Rose has recently joined the University alongside Professor Ania Rose. Their current research is helping accounting and audit firms to develop new technologies and visualisation techniques for detecting fraud, identifying business risks and improving the quality of business professionals’ decisions.
The University of Waikato also ranked first in several other research areas in accounting, and its current research rankings place the accounting program well above most of the top American, Asian and European business schools.
The table below shows the latest research rankings for accounting at the Waikato Management School:
| Waikato Management School Rank by Accounting Research Area | Global | New Zealand | Australasia |
| Accounting Information Systems | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| Experimental | 20 | 1 | 2 |
| Experimental (Accounting Information Systems) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Experimental (Audit) | 13 | 1 | 2 |
| Experimental (Financial) | 6 | 1 | 1 |
The ranking system objectively compares every accounting programme and every accounting scholar by examining publications in 12 of the highest impact accounting journals since 1990. The researchers at BYU evaluate all articles published by accounting researchers every year and update the system to reflect publications within all accounting programmes. The rankings are used by universities throughout the world to evaluate the quality of their accounting programmes and their impact.
