The A-Z of Business Schools; University of Glasgow Business School

Age: 24

History: Roots go back to the early 1950s when the university launched a series of business and development courses. By the early 1970s they had morphed into a part-time Executive MBA mainly for local businesspersons.

Address: On the main university campus in a renovated Victorian terrace in the heart of Glasgow's hip West End.

Ambience: Modern facilities in an ancient setting: purpose-built teaching rooms, newly-painted walls, new computers. Close to university library (no dedicated business school library) as well as museums, art galleries and parks.

Vital statistics: An entirely postgraduate business school means it's sober and grown-up (no 18-year-olds doing wacky things). It's also fairly academic with strong international bent. Staff and students are on first name terms. The school is kept small to retain small classes and to promote personal development. There are two main programmes: a full and part-time MBA. Part-timers number 70 a year, full-timers 30 to 40.

Added value: One of the first European business schools to introduce an international MBA, it's still a highly international institution. The MBA has a strong international theme. Most electives have an international perspective. Its membership of International Advanced Management Schools means it's in a consortium with Marseilles in France, Aarhus in Denmark, Catolica in Lisbon, a business school in Helsinki, and good old Loughborough in the Midlands. Not to mention a clutch of Australian universities. Specializes in the management of change.

Easy to get into? A good honours degree (2.1) or professional qualification and two years' work experience. Interviews and career planning meetings are encouraged.

Association of MBA's accreditation: Yes, but only for part-time Executive MBA.

Glittering clientele (companies and organizations which fund students through MBAs): Clydesdale Bank, Power Systems, Lanarkshire Development Agency and the Glasgow Development Agency. Plus tailor-made MBAs laid on for executives of Associated Newspapers in London. Hurray! Does that mean better management of newspapers? Will others follow suit?

Glittering professor: Marketing guru Luiz Moutinho, who is intensely prolific and has 37 books under his belt.

Glitteri alumni: Adam Smith.

International connections: As a member of International Advanced Management Schools it offers its own international management school each January, which attracts people worldwide. It is a founder member of the European summer school of advanced management and a member of the Confederation of Australian Management Schools Asian summer school.

Research: Awarded a 4 for management and a tip-top 5* in urban studies in the research assessment exercise.

Student profile: Average age on the part-time MBA is 34; on the full- time 27, with a 60/40 male/female mix on both routes. On the full-time MBA 70 per cent of students come from EU countries, 30 per cent from Pacific Rim and North America.

Cost: Part-time MBA costs pounds 7,650 over three years; full-time costs pounds 9,650.

Return on investment: Accelerated career progression (you climb the greasy pole faster) and greater corporate visibility (people think you're the tops).

Who's the boss? Economist Professor Sir Laurie Hunter who carries out research into industrial relations, human resources development and labour markets, and is chairman of the Police Negotiation Board.

Next week: Henley Management College

Lucy Hodges