UC Riverside’s School of Business has been accepted into the Graduate Management Admission Council, or GMAC, a prestigious global association of leading graduate business schools. The announcement, made jointly by UCR and GMAC this week, marks a major milestone for the university and affirms its standing among top business education institutions worldwide.
“This is an extraordinary honor and an important step forward for the School of Business,” said Yunzeng Wang, dean of UCR’s business school. “Joining GMAC affirms our commitment to excellence and connects us to a global network focused on innovation, ethical practices, and academic rigor in graduate management education.”
Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC, said UCR’s “fresh perspectives and insights will strengthen GMAC’s work and help us continue contributing to the invaluable development of cross-culturally competent and globally aware business leaders of tomorrow.”
Such perspectives, she said, are especially needed during “one of the most dynamic and fast-changing times we’ve seen, with big shifts in talent mobility, technological advancement, and renewed emphasis on skill development reshaping global business education.”
GMAC is best known for administering the Graduate Management Admission Test™, a widely used entrance exam for MBA and business master’s programs. But its role extends far beyond testing. The council provides member schools with access to industry research, global conferences, recruiting tools, and digital platforms that guide prospective students in finding programs that match their aspirations.
With its inclusion, the UCR School of Business, home of the A. Gary Anderson School of Management, becomes the 228th member of the influential nonprofit group.
The membership comes at a pivotal time for UCR’s School of Business. Last September, the school opened the doors to its $87 million, 63,400-square-foot building — a state-of-the-art facility designed to foster collaboration among students, faculty, and industry leaders.
Located on the south side of campus, the four-story building features high-tech classrooms with hybrid teaching capabilities, a finance lab equipped with Bloomberg terminals, and an executive boardroom offering expansive views of the campus and surrounding mountains.
Also last year, the business school jumped 20 positions in a U.S. News & World Report 2024 graduate school rankings.
GMAC Membership is highly selective. UCR’s application process began in 2022 and required extensive documentation of the school’s graduate program offerings, faculty credentials, and institutional commitment to ethical and inclusive practices.
“It took a dedicated team effort across the school to meet the high bar GMAC set,” said Patrick Latimer, associate director of graduate admissions, who helped coordinate the application.
The announcement followed the opening session of GMAC’s annual conference late last month, where UC Riverside was formally recognized. A commemorative plaque was presented by GMAC leadership to UCR representatives during the ceremony.
As the UCR School of Business continues its upward trajectory, leaders see GMAC membership as a springboard for expanded national and international engagement.
“This validates the quality of what we offer,” Wang said. “And it positions us to be an even stronger force in shaping the next generation of business leaders.”
Header image: A state-of-the-art classroom at UCR's School of Business. (Photo/Stan Lim)
