a further 100 associate faculty members. Faculty members are not traditional academics – the majority combine significant academic qualifications with extensive international business experience, enabling them to become fully involved with the issues and challenges faced by clients and individual participants. Academic staff regularly serve on the councils of international educational and advisory bodies, including the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) and Association of MBAs (AMBA). They also share their expertise as visiting professors at many international business schools and universities. Academics In the Financial Times rankings (May 2014) for custom and open programmes, Ashridge was ranked in the top 25 (23rd) in the world. Ashridge is the only UK specialist business school with degree-awarding powers, giving it the equivalent status to a university in awarding its degrees. Ashridge's Academic Accreditation service provides a route for other educational institutions to work with Ashridge in offering degree-level qualifications in business and management. Research centres Ashridge has six research centres, each carrying out specific research and providing consultancy services and specialised programmes including Ashridge Centre for Business and Sustainability, Ashridge Centre for Coaching, Ashridge Leadership Centre, Ashridge Strategic Management Centre, Centre for Research in Executive Development, Ashridge Centre for Action Research. See also Ashridge Ashridge Priory References Further reading Sanecki, K.A., Ashridge – A Living History, Phillimore & Co, 1996, External links Ashridge Business School Hult International Business School Business schools in England Educational institutions established in 1959 1959 establishments in England Ashridge Little Gaddesden