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Checked by CompareHQ on 9 October 2026. We reviewed Cranfield School of Management's own website, and the services, facts and accreditations on this profile reflect what it says. Work at Cranfield School of Management? Claim this profile to keep it up to date yourself.

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Cranfield School of Management logo

Cranfield School of Management

Leadership DevelopmentCranfield, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
AACSB AccreditedAMBA AccreditedEQUIS Accredited

Cranfield School of Management is the business school of Cranfield University, based at Cranfield in Bedfordshire and formally established in 1967.

Its executive development arm runs open programmes, custom programmes for organisations, online short courses, apprenticeships and business simulations. Open programmes are grouped for levels from individual contributors and line managers through to directors, the C-suite and boards. The Breakthrough Leadership Programme, for senior managers moving into director roles, combines virtual learning, two five-day residential modules on campus and review sessions at 6 and 12 months, with a coach throughout. For current and aspiring non-executive directors (NEDs) it runs the Non-Executive Directors' Programme, a three-day residential course at Cranfield campus, and the Non-Executive Directors Essentials Programme, an online, self-paced course of 8 modules developed with VirtualNonExecs and booked through it as stage one of the Cranfield NED pathway. Named clients include Jaguar Land Rover, BAE Systems, Shell, L'Oréal and UNICEF.

Fees are published for each programme, for example £17,950 plus value added tax (VAT) for the Breakthrough Leadership Programme, including accommodation, £3,950 plus VAT for the Non-Executive Directors' Programme, including accommodation, and £1,999 plus VAT for the Non-Executive Directors Essentials Programme. The school states it is accredited by AACSB International (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS). In the Financial Times 2026 executive education rankings it placed 29th globally for open programmes and 21st for custom programmes.

Delivery format
Hybrid
Client type
Both
Seniority served
All Levels
Sector specialisms
Cross-Sector
Countries served
Global
Also offers
Group coaching

Clients include

BAE Systems logo
BAE Systems
Jaguar Land Rover logo
Jaguar Land Rover
Shell logo
Shell
UNICEF logo
UNICEF

Frequently asked questions

How is Cranfield School of Management ranked?

In the Financial Times 2026 executive education rankings, Cranfield placed 29th globally and 3rd in the UK for open programmes, and 21st globally and 4th in the UK for custom programmes.

Is Cranfield School of Management accredited?

The school states it holds accreditation from AACSB International, the Association of MBAs (AMBA) and EQUIS. It describes this triple accreditation as placing it in the top 1% of business schools worldwide.

What training does Cranfield offer non-executive directors?

Two linked programmes. The Non-Executive Directors Essentials Programme is an online, self-paced course of 8 modules and 24 short lessons, developed with VirtualNonExecs and booked through it, with a verified Cranfield digital badge on completion. The Non-Executive Directors' Programme is a three-day residential course at Cranfield campus for current and aspiring non-executive directors, with dates listed for November 2026, February 2027 and April 2027.

Who has Cranfield worked with?

Named clients include Jaguar Land Rover, BAE Systems, Shell and UNICEF.

Are Cranfield's individual programmes separately accredited?

Some degree programmes are. The full-time Master of Business Administration (MBA) and several management master's degrees carry Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accreditation, and the Management and Human Resource Management MSc is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

How much do Cranfield's executive programmes cost?

Fees are published for each programme. The Breakthrough Leadership Programme is listed at £17,950 plus VAT, including accommodation, with a 20% concession for eligible alumni. The Non-Executive Directors' Programme is £3,950 plus VAT, including accommodation, and the online Non-Executive Directors Essentials Programme is £1,999 plus VAT, or £1,499 plus VAT for VirtualNonExecs Networker Pro members.

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