Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University

Age: 42

History: The school started as a small business faculty born in Rotterdam in 1966, when Royal Dutch Shell and Philips set up the Foundation for Business Administration, an institute for postgraduate management education. The first cohort graduated in 1970. The faculty later joined forces with Erasmus University's business administration programmes and research faculty to become Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) in 2005.

Address: Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Ambience: RSM is located in the commercial heart of Europe, with 100 nationalities on campus, and 20,000 alumni active in more than 20 chapters around the world. It maintains close connections to business, and runs a regular calendar of events to bring the business world into contact with its leading academics and students. An advisory board of individuals from top-level management in corporate industry, NGOs and the political arena provide a source of advice, guidance and support. Education is action-oriented and academically rigorous, but there's a strong sense of community, with a high level of individual attention and support. A construction programme currently underway will add a new plaza building with student accommodation, underground car park and pavilion for a sustainable campus with an international feel by 2013.

Vital statistics: With over 7,200 students and 350 active researchers, RSM is one of the largest business schools in Europe and one of the few with triple international accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. It has a complete portfolio ranging from BSc and MSc programmes to several different MBAs and Executive Education programmes. Most programmes are taught in English.

Added value: The school promotes its underlying strengths of critical thinking, innovation, sustainability and spirit, and fosters relationships with leaders in business, in society and in academia. It takes a forward-thinking approach to leadership development and encourages a future-orientated mindset with its school-wide ‘I WILL’ network. Students work on real consultancy cases with companies, experience different business models and teaching methods and take part in international exchanges.

Easy to get into? Entry requirements vary by programme. In general, the school looks for an international outlook and academic excellence, with a good level of spoken and written English.

Glittering alumni: Meiny Prins, CEO of Priva BV and Dutch businesswoman of the year 2009; Sukhbir Jasuja, CEO of ITpreneurs and a sustainable grower in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50; Diederik Laman Trip (now retired) former Chairman of Postbank, RVS insurance, and Chairman of the ING Netherlands Board; Johan H. Andresen Jr formerly of Tiedemanns tobacco empire, now owner and CEO of investment conglomerate Ferd Norway.

Gurus: Prof. Dr Michael Braungart, professor of Cradle to Cradle for Innovation and Quality; Prof. Dr Cees van Riel, MD of RSM’s Corporate Communication Centre and co-founder and MD of New York's Reputation Institute; Prof. Dr Stijn van Osselaer, Professor of Marketing and chairman of RSM’s Marketing department; Prof. Dr Gail Whiteman holds the Ecorys Chair in Sustainability and Climate Change at RSM.

International connections: 100 different nationalities on campus, and 20,000 alumni active in more than 20 chapters around the world. RSM has 100 partner schools worldwide.

Overall Ranking: RSM consistently achieves a competitive position in national and international rankings. In its 2011 meta-ranking, the Financial Times placed RSM on a seventh place amongst the top 10 schools in Europe. RSM’s MBA programme appears in the European top 15.

Student profile: Around 38 different nationalities are represented in the year group: 96 per cent are non-Dutch. Average age is 29.

Cost: Tuition fees differ per programme and range between £1,500 for the pre-experience BSc and MSc programmes to £33,650 (€39,000) for the International MBA.

Return on investment: Virtually all of last year's MBA graduates were employed within three months of graduation. After one year, the average salary was £73,450. ($114,480). BSc and MSc programmes also provide an excellent return on investment, partly because of the Dutch government-subsidised tuition fee.

Who's the boss? Prof. Dr Jaap Spronk is the Academic Dean of RSM's MBA Programmes; Dr Dianne Bevelander is Associate Dean of MBA programmes, Prof. Dr Eric Waarts is Dean of MSc and BSc programmes.

Prospectus: +31 10 408 22 22; www.rsm.nl; mba.info@rsm.nl