Always positive, enthusiastic, and supportive.
Theresa Forbes is the Business Accreditation Manager at the Otago Business School, part of the Division of Commerce at the University of Otago. In this capacity, she manages the school's accreditation processes and Assurance of Learning (AoL), while providing essential support to academic leaders. The Otago Business School maintains international accreditations, including the EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Forbes was instrumental in the rigorous, multi-year effort that culminated in the school's AACSB re-accreditation announced in July 2022. This process involved intense internal focus, collaboration with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and a peer-reviewed evaluation. As Forbes explained, 'Achieving accreditation is a process of rigorous internal focus, engagement with an AACSB-assigned mentor, and peer-reviewed evaluation. During this multi-year process, the School needed to develop and implement a plan that adheres to the AACSB's accreditation standards of excellence in strategic management, innovation, learning, teaching and academic and professional engagement. Receiving this reaccreditation demonstrates the School's adherence to these standards and that our staff and academics are making an impact on society; we are elated to see all this hard work come to a successful and fruitful conclusion.'
Forbes also serves as the Academic Subject Adviser for the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship programme, assisting students with course advice. Previously, she held the position of Executive Assistant in the Faculty of Law at the University of Otago, where she delivered outstanding administrative support to staff and students over several years, including reception duties and contributions to events such as the Law Review, Staff v Student debates, and skits. In 2017, she transitioned to the Business School as Information and Special Projects Officer before assuming her current role. Her contact details are listed in the university's Dunedin staff directory under Commerce.
