IMD is located on the shores of Lake Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was created in 1990 when IMI, founded by Alcan Aluminium, merged with IMEDE, which was founded by Nestlé.

Vital statistics. There are about 5 applicants for each of one of the 90 places available; most students are aged between 28 and 32 with at least three years’ work experience and a GMAT of 675. The course starts with a foundation in core business subjects such as accounting and finance, followed by topics such as leadership, recruiting, an international discovery expedition and a consulting project. Tuition costs SwFr58,000 (£28,200); programme-related fees are another SwFr21,500.

Rankings. IMD is first in Europe in the Forbes rankings; second worldwide in the Wall Street Journal rankings; fifth in The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Which MBA? guide and fourteenth in the ft.com global MBA rankings.

Employment record. Alumni’s salaries increase by an average of 94 per cent on their preMBA pay in two years; 91 per cent of graduates are employed after three months.

Scholarship opportunities. There are several scholarships available, ranging from SwFr25,000 to SwFr30,000. See website for details.

Application deadlines: there are five rounds each year, closing on February 1, April 1, June 1, August 1 and September 1

Sources: imd.ch; mba.eiu.com; ft.com; www.businessweek.com; wsj.com

Next week: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ACEM