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

Age: 30

History: Created as part of Warwick University on a greenfield site in the 1960s. Business and engineering were seen as the leading departments because of snuggly links with industry - which meant Warwick took a lot of flak in the 1970s but has prospered since. Began with two degrees and 24 students; now has 17 degrees and 3,000 students.

Address: On the Warwick campus, four miles south of Coventry.

Ambience: Students are housed in a purpose-built MBA teaching centre which is too small. That's why they're expanding into a new brick-with- white-rendering structure in October next year.

Vital statistics: One of Europe's biggest business schools, it scores high in research and teaching league tables. Covers the full range of undergraduates, postgraduates and doctoral students. Teaches four MBA programmes to 2,000 adults: one full-time and three executive part-time (evening, modular and distance learning).

Added value: Flexible approach means students can switch between the four MBAs to suit themselves. Careers advice is given by a careers manager on the full-time programme and is also a part of the course. In-company project helps with jobs too.

Easy to get into? No. Ratio of MBA applications to acceptances is six to one. You need a good first degree and a minimum of three years' relevant work experience (average is eight years).

Association of MBA's accreditation: Yes - for all four programmes.

Glittering alumni: Andrew Gurr, chief executive, Falkland Islands government; Lord Simpson, managing director, GEC; MPs Jeff Rooker, Richard Burden and Ian Pearson; Mike Kinski, chief executive, Stagecoach; Dave Prentis, deputy general secretary, Unison; Keith Bedell-Pearce, director of international development, the Prudential; Sheila McKechnie, chief executive, Consumers` Association.

International connections: Lots of 'em. Half the students and 14 per cent of academics are from abroad. Students come from 70 countries. MBA modules taught in Hong Kong, Brussels and Toulouse. Distance learning partners in Singapore, Sweden, Hong Kong and Greece. MBA relationships with Vienna business school; HEC, Montreal and York, Ontario; ESC Toulouse and Groupe Essec in France; Erasmus in Rotterdam; Richmond in Virginia; Solvay in Brussels; Aarhus in Denmark; and Capetown and Witwatersrand in southern Africa.

Research: Award a 5A rating in research assessment exercise.

Teaching: Rated excellent by higher education funding council.

Gurus: Peter Doyle, professor of marketing and strategic management; Andrew Pettigrew, professor of strategy and organisation; Gibson Burrell, professor of organisational behaviour who has written a new book called Pandemonium.

Student profile: Age range on full-time MBA 25 to 36; on part-time 25 to 45. Male female ratio on full time 79:21; on part-time 76:24.

Cost: Full-time pounds 14,000; part-time pounds 7,735 - pounds 14,100 spread over three years.

Return on investment: More Warwick full-time MBAs got where they wanted compared with students from other business schools, according to the FT guide to European MBAs. And they almost doubled their salaries.

Who's the boss? Currently it is Robert Dyson, specialist in data envelopment analysis, currently standing for election as dean.

Next week: Westminster Business School.