Smart Moves: The A-Z of Business Schools: University of Nottingham - School of Management

Age: Seven in its current incarnation.

History: Formed from a merger between three departments - industrial economics, accounting and insurance, and the Institute of Management Studies.

Address: Part of Nottingham University parkland campus three miles from city centre.

Ambience: From 1999 MBA students will be housed in a tinted glass structure containing two large atria with trees overlooking a newly-dug lake. School of management is expected to change its name to commemorate the event. This new mini-campus will contain 750 en suite study bedrooms, its own resource centre, shops, bars and bistro/restaurant.

Vital statistics: A strong UK management school, it offers 10 MBAs. There is a general MBA, one in financial studies, an international MBA, an executive MBA (part-time, for big companies to share in a consortium eg Boots and BT), a modular MBA, and five public sector MBAs - in education, health services management, criminal justice, local government, and the voluntary sector. The school will expand when it's in its new home - from present 350 MBA students to more than 500.

Added value: Big range of electives. Unusual ones include venture capital, financial fraud, portfolio management, emerging market economies, insurance and risk management, Japanese language, and a new one - business and the environment. The International MBA started last year: you study the core in Nottingham, the electives abroad (France, Germany or Canada) and the dissertation back in Nottingham.

Easy to get into? No. You need a degree plus three years' work experience for the MBA.

Association of MBA's accreditation: Yes, for the general and financial MBAs.

Glittering alumni: Bob Phillis, CEO Guardian Media Group; John Timpson, chairman, Timpson Shoes; Ted Childs, producer of Morse and Sharpe; Thomas Angear, chairman, M&A International; Robert Lerwill, executive director, finance, Cable & Wireless; Oliver Pawle, head of corporate broking, UBS; Geoffrey Budd, company secretary, Dixons; Michael Hodgkinson, group airports director, BAA.

International connections: 60-70 per cent of full-time MBA students come from abroad. Formal links with France, Germany and Canada at MBA level.

Research: Achieved a four (top is five) in the 1996 research assessment exercise.

Teaching: Rated excellent in 1994 by the higher education funding council people.

Student profile: Average age on full-time MBA is 31; on part-time 35. Male/female ratio on full-time MBA is 68:32.

Cost: pounds 7,980-pounds 9,960 for full-time programmes; pounds 6,360-pounds 9,960 for part- time (takes two to four years).

Return on investment: Average 30 per cent salary hike.

Who's the boss? Industrial economist Prof Brian Chiplin who founded the school in 1991. Has recently been putting his learning to good use seeing whether Nottingham can develop campuses in Thailand and Malaysia. No answers yet.

Next week: Open University Business School.