UNSW's Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer has launched the Australian School of Business, which resulted from the merger of the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and the Faculty of Commerce and Economics.

Professor Alec Cameron, Dean of the Australian School of Business said: "We are very excited to be launching the Australian School of Business after many months of work to bring AGSM and UNSW's Faculty of Commerce and Economics together. I would like to thank the many people who have contributed to the creation of the new School.

"I would particularly like to thank our Advisory Council of 42 of Australia's top business leaders. The Advisory Council, which is co-Chaired by Warwick Negus and Tony Berg AM, has provided valuable advice during the merger process.

"The new Australian School of Business harnesses the excellence of two of Australia's benchmark business education and research institutions, resulting in an entity that is stronger than the sum of its parts.

"The Australian School of Business offers business a greater depth and breadth of programs than any other business school in Australia. It has ten world-class research centres and nine disciplinary-based schools, and many internationally recognised business academics. We have created nine new professorial chairs to attract more leading academics from around the world to help us further build our research and teaching capabilities. We are more resilient and stronger financially, with more resources to invest in creating a centre of excellence.

"The School is located in a new, state-of-the-art building that brings together some of the finest minds in business education. The building gives physical expression to our intention for the Australian School of Business to be a world-class centre of excellence for business education and research in the region.

"The success of the Australian School of Business is reflected in the exceptional quality of our students, academics and alumni; in the nexus between our world-class research and teaching, and in our close connections with the business community.

"One of the greatest strengths of the new School is our close integration with Asia, including links with industry and educational institutions in the region. As the world economy is increasingly driven by the Asia Pacific region, the School's new and established regional links put it in a powerful position.

"This is a real opportunity for us. We need to invest in and continue to build more relationships in the region. We must remain known as the place people from across the Asia Pacific region come to enhance their business knowledge and skills," says Professor Cameron.

Contact: Marie Kelly on 9385 5895 or 0408 256 381Email: mariek@agsm.edu.au or j.reed@unsw.edu.au