The Anglia Ruskin University Faculty of Business and Law, formerly known as the Lord Ashcroft International Business School (LAIBS), is a faculty at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). It comprises two schools: the School of Economics, Finance and Law and the School of Management. Currently, ARU operates business schools in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough, and London.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
The Faculty of Business and Law is one of the largest in East England, featuring nearly 100 full-time teaching staff and approximately 7,200 students from over 100 countries. It also offers business programs through partnerships with institutions worldwide.[8]
Business Schools
ARU has business schools located in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough, and London.
Lord Ashcroft Building in Chelmsford, Essex. The building was inaugurated by Prince Edward in 2003.Lord Ashcroft Building, seat of the business school, as seen from inside the campus in Cambridge.
The Lord Ashcroft Buildings are situated at both ARU Cambridge and ARU Chelmsford. Lord Michael Ashcroft, who was the chancellor of the university at the time, contributed £10 million towards the construction of these business school facilities. The Chelmsford building was inaugurated by Prince Edward in 2003, while the Cambridge building opened in 2011. Notably, the facade of the Cambridge business school still displays its former name.[13][14][15][16][17]
Originally, the Chelmsford building was named the Michael A. Ashcroft Building, and the business school was called the Michael Ashcroft International Business School. After Ashcroft was elevated to life peerage in 2000, the business school was renamed the Lord Ashcroft International Business School.[18][19][20]
In 2014, the Bloomberg Financial Markets Lab was opened for finance, banking, accounting, and economics students at the Chelmsford campus.[21]
Research Centers
In 2025, the Faculty of Business and Law had five research centers:
Centre for Research into the Organization of Work and Consumption (CROWC)[26]
Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy
The Anglia Ruskin University Enterprise Academy (AREA) promotes entrepreneurship and is recognised by both the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) and the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE).[27][28]
#ThinkBigARU is a business competition organised by AREA for students and recent graduates.[29]
AREA serves as a business incubator for startups.[30] AREA has outlined a long-term vision to develop a Business Support Hub, which will function as a database of freelance services provided by ARU students and graduates. This hub is designed to offer affordable business solutions to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in North Essex. Services include:[31]
Accounting
Web development
Graphic design
Social media marketing
The initiative not only supports local businesses but also helps freelancers launch and grow their careers, thereby bridging the gap between academic talent and regional business needs. AREA allocates small grants to freelancers and startups.[31]
In 2025, AREA received the Vice Chancellor's Award.[32]
Arise Innovations Hubs
Arise Innovations Hubs are located in Chelmsford and Harlow in Essex. Arise provides an ecosystem for entrepreneurs.[33]
Advisory Boards
ARU East India Campus in London.
The Legal Advisory Board helps to develop courses and foster closer ties with local judiciary and law firms, and the Business Advisory Board helps to enhance the overall quality of business courses at ARU.[34][35]
In 2024, Anglia Ruskin University became the first university in the United Kingdom to win the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education (NCEE) Entrepreneurial University Award.[47]
In 2025, Law Clinic at the Faculty of Business and Law was a finalist for the University Commercial Impact Award at the LexisNexis Legal Awards.[48]
In 2025, ARU was a finalist for three awards: Co-created Employability Initiatives, Employer and Community Partnerships, and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at the Academic Employability Awards.[49]
In 2025, ARU was a finalist at the Medilink Midlands Business Awards for Partnership Between University and Business Award.[50]
Rankings
In 2021, Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) ranked in the top 10% of English higher education institutions (HEIs) for skills, enterprise, and entrepreneurship, and in the top 20% for local growth and regeneration, according to a report by Research England.[51]
In 2024, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) revelead that ARU was in top 10% in the country for graduates in employment and/or further study. ARU was ranked 5th in the country and 1st in the East of England for graduates who are employed as managers, directors or senior officials.[52]
In 2024, Anglia Ruskin University was ranked among the top 6.8% of universities worldwide.[53]
ARU was first in the East of England, and seventh in the UK, for student start-ups, with 123 ventures formed in the 2023/24 academic year.[54]
Controversies
In March 2018, Lord Ashcroft graduate Pok Wong, from Hong Kong, initiated a lawsuit against Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) for allegedly misrepresenting the career prospects associated with her degree.[55]
In 2024, ARU London accidentally paid £50,000 to the Conservative Party. The donation was intended as a personal contribution from the chairman of ARU London Ravi Gill.[56]
Alumni
The bust of Lord Michael Ashcroft at the Lord Ashcroft Building, Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.
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