The A-Z of Business Schools: Leeds University Business School

Age: 70+, if you count from its first incarnation.

History: Started life as Department of Commerce in 1920s. Via stages became an economics department, then school of economic studies plus a separate management school, then merged into single school of business and economic studies. Finally renamed Leeds University Business School in January last year.

Address: Two sites: Georgian Terrace housing MBA programmes, and 1960s block for undergraduates, on Leeds University campus 10 minutes walk from the city centre. But major upgrade and expansion coming. In August next year will be moving to 19th century former Leeds Grammar School site. A multi-million pound scheme will produce international facilities on one location.

Ambience: Part of the respected civic university and on the edge of city centre. New site will give fully interactive dedicated teaching and computing for MBA, taught Masters, PhD and post-experience business and finance programmes. Plus grounds - cricket and rugby pitches of the former grammar school.

Vital Statistics: 1,100 undergraduates and more than 400 postgraduates, 80 academic staff. Business school plans increase to 2,000 students, developing as one of top graduate business schools with a graduate to undergraduate ratio of 40:60. University has huge library and there are more than 1,000 computer terminals for students.

Added value: Executive MBAs run for health and social service professionals jointly with Nuffield Institute. Income from research contracts has topped pounds 2m in the last three years. Over the same three years, staff were consultants to 80+ companies including British Aerospace, Shell, Nestle, Barclays Bank, BT and IBM Paris.

Easy to get into? Good honours degree. Full MBA requires minimum of two years work experience, part-time MBA minimum six years work experience.

Association of MBAs' accreditation: Yes for full and part-time MBAs.

International connections: Students on MBA and Masters degree programmes come from more than 30 different countries. Part-time MBA and MBA Finance is delivered in Singapore. And there's an Executive MBA for Slovakian health service professionals. Also the prestigious programme for Indian managers at Leeds on behalf of the British Council and the main Indian employers' organisations. School has also trained high-flyers in financial and legal services from the former Soviet Union. Staff have advised on setting up business schools in Hungary, Poland and Romania. Close links with universities around the world including USA, China, Japan, France and Italy.

Research: Achieved a 4 (top grade is 5) in the research assessment exercise.

Student profile: Average age on full-time MBA is 29; on part-time 33 to 36. Male to female ratio 60:40.

Cost: Evening MBA pounds 6,000; Executive pounds 7,500; Full-time EU pounds 7,500; Full- time overseas pounds 8,000.

Return on investment: The usual salary and career boost.

Who's the boss?: Following the death last year of Professor Geoff Lockett, the acting departmental chairman is now Ken Woolmer, economist and former Labour MP. Woolmer was a member of Treasury select committee, then Trade front-bencher in the Commons. Continues to advise one member of the Cabinet - Jack Cunningham. Outside interest - football. He was a director of Leeds United.

Next week: London Business School.

Lucy Hodges