Hult International Business School

Age: 46

History: Founded in 1964 as the Arthur D Little School of Management, it was renamed Hult International Business School in 2003, honouring its benefactor Bertil Hult.

Address: Located in central London overlooking Russell Square, in the city's famous literary and academic district, Bloomsbury.

Ambience: Housed in two Georgian buildings, the historic exterior masks a completely renovated interior that includes state-of-the-art technology and amenities, as well as a brand new speaker's hall and student lounge. All students have access to the nearby University of London library, unions and sports facilities.

Vital statistics: Hult is a top-ranked school offering one-year, fully accredited international MBA programmes in Boston, London and Dubai. In 2008, Hult was ranked number 31 in the world and 16th in the US by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Furthermore, it is the first US programme to be accredited by the Association of MBAs.

Added value: Hult's MBA curriculum is identical in each of the four cities where teaching takes place. Students can move from one campus to another for the elective portion of the curriculum. It's an integral part of the MBA experience, as it allows students to gain insight into the key economies of the world.

Easy to get into? The minimum requirement is an undergraduate degree, three years' work experience, and satisfactory GMAT and TOEFL scores. Applications can be completed online.

Glittering alumni: Hult alumni are now entrepreneurs, CEOs, presidents, senior managers and high-ranking government officials. They are well placed to help other Hult graduates become successful in business and management.

Gurus: Dr Hitendra Patel, professor of innovation and growth, has extensive experience in helping global companies identify growth opportunities.

International connections: Offers MBA students the opportunity to study in Boston, London, Dubai and Shanghai. The class of 2008 consisted of 37 nationalities, each speaking an average of three languages, while Hult alumni, faculty and staff hail from more than 120 countries.

Student profile: The average age is 30, with seven years' work experience. Women comprise 35 per cent of students.

Cost: £38,000

Return on investment: According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, a Hult MBA pays for itself in half the time of other MBA programmes.

Who's the boss? Ian Dougal is dean of the London campus. He's been with Hult since 2000 and has been head of international relations, then director of academic quality assurance and later involved in various degree programmes.

Prospectus: +44 (0)20-7636 5667; www.hult.edu