Arizona State University has been named the most innovative school among national universities for the third year in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

The university got the most votes among college presidents, provosts and admission deans, who were asked to nominate up to 10 cutting-edge colleges for the ranking, now in its third year.

ASU again came out ahead of such well-known schools as Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

U.S. News publishes a variety of annual college rankings, including the popular Best Colleges, and ASU officials have used the most innovative school label as part of the school’s marketing campaign, promoting the accolade on buses and on signs.

Some of the school’s better-known innovations include:

A partnership with the Starbucks coffee giant launched in 2014 that covers tuition for online bachelors’ degrees for Starbucks employees.

Rapid expansion of ASU Online, the university's online-only program, to include about 30,000 students this fall.

An online tool that helps match students with potential careers based on their personalities.

Math classes that use computer technology, in place of traditional lectures, to determine where students need help.

ASU President Michael Crow has made innovation a key part of his vision for what he calls the “New American University.” That focus includes a commitment to academic excellence, serving a broad demographic of students and having maximum societal impact.

Crow, in an interview with The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, said he is especially proud of how the school's various innovations have led to improvements in graduation rates and a more diverse student body.

"What ASU has become is we’re the prototype for the new kind of university that’s emerging and needs to emerge. We’re the example of what a public university needs to be," he said.

Not everyone is a fan of U.S. News rankings. Some college officials object to the methodology used to determine rankings, which relies heavily on a “peer assessment” survey, or how a college is viewed by other college presidents, provosts and deans of admission.

Some schools have even refused to send in data as part of the annual survey.

And not everyone in Arizona has praised ASU's transformation over the years.

Steep tuition hikes during the recession were unpopular with parents and some legislators, and the state university system was recently sued by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich over tuition increases of more than 300 percent over the past 15 years.

The Arizona Board of Regents, who oversee the state universities, have said the tuition increases were necessary to make up for steep state funding cuts during the recession, and the regents have praised the direction ASU is headed.

In June, Bill Ridenour, now the regents’ chairman, credited Crow with launching major innovations, such as offering online degrees to Starbucks employees, as well as partnerships with the Mayo Clinic and Adidas.

Mayo Clinic opened a medical school in Phoenix earlier this year, and ASU offers a master's degree in partnership with Mayo.

ASU and Adidas have a partnership called the Global Sport Alliance to go beyond the standard deal that most universities sign with sports companies. The centerpiece is the Global Sport Institute, which will conduct sports research with the goal of making practical discoveries that can help everyday life.

Crow said university officials have worked to establish a culture and platform for innovations.

And when it comes to innovations, "we're just getting started," he said.

Most Innovative Schools, National Universities

Arizona State University. Stanford University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Georgia State University. Carnegie Mellon University

Source: U.S. News & World Report