Maastricht School of Management

Age: 59

History: The Maastricht School of Management has its roots in the Institute for Management Science at the Technical University in Delft, dating back to 1952. In 1989, the school moved to the historical Dutch city of Maastricht.

Address: Maastricht has fantastic business, political and cultural resources, and was made famous by playing host to European leaders in 1992 as they signed the treaty which set up the European Union.

Ambience: Extremely international, partly because Maastricht itself is a very international city, a short hop away from all the major European capitals; and partly because MSM's students come from all over the world. The campus is small and friendly, with committed, supportive staff.

Vital statistics: There are about 80 MBA students on campus, but the school runs several outreach programmes in more than 25 countries, making it the largest international business school in the Netherlands: more than 2,000 students graduate each year. The school offers high-quality management degree programmes (MBA, MSc, Executive MBA, DBA and PhD) as well as executive education. It also carries out management development research and international projects.

Added value: Because it runs outreach programmes all over the world, Maastricht School of Management's professors are constantly globetrotting to teach MSM students overseas – so students benefit from an international exchange of knowledge.

Easy to get into? You'll ideally have a GMAT score of at least 500, three years of work experience and a bachelor's degree (preferably with a foundation in economics and management) although all applicants are considered. If your education has been in a language other than English, you'll need a score of at least 550 on the TOEFL (or equivalent).

International connections: Lots, thanks to the outreach programmes. Students can enrol on MSM courses in Africa, Asia and the Middle East as well as Europe.

Student profile: The average age is 30 for the MBA programmes and 25 for the MSc: the male to female ratio is about even.

Cost: The full-time, one-year MBA or MSc at the Maastricht campus is €12,900.

Return on investment: Promising career prospects and increased confidence: you'll also get global business contacts through the school's international alumni network.

Who's the boss? Prof. Dr. Ronald S.J. Tuninga Professor is Dean.

Prospectus: +31 43 387 0830; www.msm.nl; admissions@msm.nl