Top university business schools are adopting a “partnership mindset” and giving students more opportunities to solve real-world problems for global companies such as Oracle and Microsoft as they seek to enhance their reputation among students and employers.

That’s according to the heads of Monash Business School and The University of Sydney Business School, who say the shift towards more industry partnerships has played a crucial role in their podium finishes in the Reputation category of this year’s The Australian Financial Review BOSS Best Business Schools list.