Ashridge Business School
Encyclopedia
Ashridge Business School is an independent, non-profit making organisation, near Berkhamsted
in Hertfordshire
, England
. Its activities include open and tailored executive education
programmes, MBA, MSc and Diploma qualifications, organisation consulting
, applied research
and online learning. Ashridge works with private and public organisations from around the world. It is based at Ashridge House, one of the largest Gothic Revival country houses in England.
rankings (May 2010), Ashridge was ranked as one of the top business schools in the UK for its customised executive education programmes.
In the latest Financial Times rankings for Executive MBAs (October 2008), it is 16th in Europe and 7th in the UK.
In the latest Which MBA/Economist rankings (2008) it is 24th in the world and 6th in the UK. It is number one in the world for salary growth for the fourth year running.
Ashridge is one of a handful of business schools in the world to be triple accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), The European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS
) and The Association of MBAs
(AMBA).
The 7th Earl of Bridgewater commissioned James Wyatt
to build the present neo-gothic building as his home: it was completed in 1813. The boundary between Hertfordshire
and Buckinghamshire
originally passed through the dining room, though the house is now entirely in Hertfordshire
.
In 1921 the house was acquired by a trust established by Andrew Bonar Law, a former Prime Minister
and in 1929 it became a "College of Citizenship" established to help the Conservative Party
develop its intellectual forces in struggles with left-wing organisations such as the Fabian Society
. It became a cross between a think-tank and a training centre and had Arthur Bryant
as its educational adviser. During World War II
, the building and the lawn in front of it was used as a secondary site for Charing Cross Hospital
.
After the war, the College of Citizenship was briefly re-launched. In 1959 it was re-launched again as a College to provide management
training.
The building is now a Grade 1 listed building.
, formally named The Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust, and is one of the 150 largest UK charitable organisations ranked by annual expenditure.
Berkhamsted
-Climate:Berkhamsted experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Castle:...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its activities include open and tailored executive education
Executive Education
Executive Education refers to academic programs at leading graduate-level business schools worldwide for executives, business leaders and functional managers. These programs are non-credit and non-degree granting...
programmes, MBA, MSc and Diploma qualifications, organisation consulting
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
, applied research
Applied research
Applied research is a form of systematic inquiry involving the practical application of science. It accesses and uses some part of the research communities' accumulated theories, knowledge, methods, and techniques, for a specific, often state, business, or client driven purpose...
and online learning. Ashridge works with private and public organisations from around the world. It is based at Ashridge House, one of the largest Gothic Revival country houses in England.
Academic performance
In the latest Financial TimesFinancial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
rankings (May 2010), Ashridge was ranked as one of the top business schools in the UK for its customised executive education programmes.
In the latest Financial Times rankings for Executive MBAs (October 2008), it is 16th in Europe and 7th in the UK.
In the latest Which MBA/Economist rankings (2008) it is 24th in the world and 6th in the UK. It is number one in the world for salary growth for the fourth year running.
Ashridge is one of a handful of business schools in the world to be triple accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), The European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS
Equis
Equis may refer to:*European Quality Improvement System an international system of assessment and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration run by the European Foundation for Management Development....
) and The Association of MBAs
Association of MBAs
The Association of MBAs is a London-based international organization that accredits postgraduate business programs at business schools worldwide. The Association is one of the three main global accreditation bodies in business education and styles itself "the world's impartial authority on...
(AMBA).
History of the building
James Wyatt
James Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
to build the present neo-gothic building as his home: it was completed in 1813. The boundary between Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
originally passed through the dining room, though the house is now entirely in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.
In 1921 the house was acquired by a trust established by Andrew Bonar Law, a former Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and in 1929 it became a "College of Citizenship" established to help the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
develop its intellectual forces in struggles with left-wing organisations such as the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
. It became a cross between a think-tank and a training centre and had Arthur Bryant
Arthur Bryant
Sir Arthur Wynne Morgan Bryant, CH, CBE , was a British historian and a columnist for the Illustrated London News. His books included studies of Samuel Pepys, accounts of English eighteenth- and nineteenth-century history, and a life of George V...
as its educational adviser. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the building and the lawn in front of it was used as a secondary site for Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital
Charing Cross Hospital is a general, acute hospital located in London, United Kingdom and established in 1818. It is located several miles to the west of the city centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham....
.
After the war, the College of Citizenship was briefly re-launched. In 1959 it was re-launched again as a College to provide management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
training.
The building is now a Grade 1 listed building.
Constitution
Ashridge Business School is constituted as a registered charityCharitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, formally named The Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust, and is one of the 150 largest UK charitable organisations ranked by annual expenditure.
Further reading
- Sanecki, K.A., Ashridge - A Living History, Phillimore & Co, 1996, ISBN 1-86077-020-7