Could you give a brief overview of Ashridge MBA program?

Ashridge offers two MBA programs. The first is a full-time program run over 11 months and the second is an Executive MBA program run over two years. Both are focused on developing experienced managers to take on leadership roles with current or future employers.

What is the profile of your participants?

The profile is for experienced executives with an average age of 35 and 12 years of employment. Diversity is highly valued and this was reflected by the 16 nationalities represented in the full-time MBA Class of 2006. In addition, there is a more even balance between male and female participants than in many MBA programs.

What makes your MBA unique among business schools?

Ashridge established its reputation as a business school for executives focusing on developing leaders to deal with real business issues. This is reflected in the MBA program. The small class size (30 students on average) allows for extensive interaction with the faculty, many of whom combine teaching on the MBA with consultancy and management development work with major international organisations.

How is the program structured?

The programs begin with the some key fundamentals but quickly move towards integrating the different subject areas around the key business themes that matter to leaders of the future. The final phase of both programs is a consultancy project where students work individually to deliver solutions to real-life problems and apply the key learning from the program in a very practical way.

What can you tell us about your school's success in finding its graduates employment?

The Executive MBA students typically continue to work with their existing employers moving to more senior positions after graduation. The majority of the full-time students enter the program with the view to making a career change.
Due to the class size and the profile of the students Ashridge focuses on assisting participants to develop their future career goals.

What advice would you offer to a person who is thinking about getting an MBA?

An MBA is a once in-a-lifetime opportunity not only to learn about the most up-to-date thinking on business leadership but also to learn about oneself. Therefore, it is important to enter any program with an open mind regarding ones future career direction as the most important lessons that you learn are about oneself.

What is your school doing to remain at the forefront of business and management thinking?

Each year 6,000 managers go through Ashridge, attending its various executive education programs. Ashridge carries out research in a number of areas, principally through its dedicated research centres - the Ashridge Strategic Management Centre, the Ashridge Centre for Business and Society and the Ashridge Leadership Centre. Ashridge is also one of the only business schools in the world to have its own consulting arm - Ashridge Consulting Limited.