Ensuring the best global teaching and learning processes, promoting innovation and research, increasing employability and entrepreneurship and internationalization of higher education is the biggest challenge for higher education institutions today. In today’s date PGDM or MBA is one of the most sought after programmes among students. Such programmes teach a student about finance, marketing, economics, sociology and many other disciplines, helping one to take a holistic approach to global business management. The increasing need for a PGDM or MBA degree holder is must as companies today are looking out for individuals better trained in multiple dimensions.
Since a PGDM student is so versatile, they are almost a guarantee for career success and a must for most global companies looking for knowledgeable managers. International Management Institute, Kolkata gives major importance to outcome based learning. In this regard, students get exposure to many industry based personalities where they gain practical knowledge. Students also take part in industry visits and are a part of internships where they work in companies. Other than that there are various summits and conclaves where eminent personalities discuss current prevailing issues giving students a deep insight into practical problems.
IMI Kolkata follows an outcome based experiential learning pedagogy involving case studies, simulations, role plays and other activities where research is a major priority at International Management Institute Kolkata. IMI Kolkata’s full-time faculty members work on the creation of new knowledge which are published in top end journals and included in invited talks with the aim to contribute and disseminate new insights to the national and international academic communities on one side and to provide innovative contents for teaching on the other. With this perspective, the institute constantly endeavors to upgrade its intellectual capital and the know-how and skill levels of its faculty team.
Enhancing Holistic Well-being
IMI Kolkata believes that close co-operation with the business sector and the growing alumni network are the essential preconditions for understanding the needs of the corporate sector along with contributing to the pool of knowledge in business. The combination of theory and practice has always been a central element of our teaching and is anchored in an integrated manner in our academic programmes.There are enough opportunities backed by robust policy which enables students to work on research and innovation. Apart from the doctoral students, PGDM students have also been actively involved in participating in business plan and innovation contests and consistently over the years many of the alumni members have matched their innovative ideas to prevailing market opportunities and turned successful entrepreneurs.
Considering the current pandemic scenario, the business environment has become very dynamic and volatile. During the pandemic, IMI Kolkata kept on interacting with corporates, people working on grounds, and it was clear the market is making a swift shift towards e-commerce, IT and automation, healthcare and service oriented sector. “At IMI, special focus is given on training the students to make them market ready, providing them with the skill-set that is required with respect to the current business scenario. We keep on strengthening the teaching-learning process”-Stated Professor Mohua Banerjee, Director, IMI Kolkata.
In addition to this previous statement, and continuing to tell us about IMI, Kolkata, the director stated- “The college believes in nurturing faculty who are self-motivated and provides them ample opportunities for self-development through international and domestic travel for attending conferences, internal research grants and other opportunities like research and consulting projects”. IMI’s world-class library has a wide array of subscriptions like Bloomberg etc. and the IT repository has most of the available software required for research. During the pandemic situation, not only B- Schools but the total education system is suffering. In case of B- Schools, one of the major thrust areas is to give practical and experiential learning to students. In order to minimize the gap between physical and online mode of education, IMI, Kolkata encouraged online and blended mode of learning due to the current situation.
Creating Entrepreneurial Mindset
IMI, Kolkata ensures the quality of learning does not deteriorate by introducing advanced training platforms like Zoom. Additionally, IMI provides online access to the students on several databases such as EBSCO, EMERALD, J-Gate, Science Direct, etc. Live projects, webinars, summits, guest lectures are organized to bring practical orientation to class and faculty members make themselves accessible as much as possible to cater to the needs of students. The curriculum in most B-Schools is hugely assessment based. Hence in case of a student facing any problems, interventions tend to be the first mode of action. One to one interactions between students and faculty members, several engaging activities, extra tutorials, guest lectures, summits, team based activities using Zoom are some modifications carried out by faculty members to ensure better learning.
IMI, Kolkata strives hard to create an entrepreneurial mindset among the students (especially) and also the faculty members. In line with the ‘National Student and Faculty Startup Policy put forth by the Ministry of HRD in 2019 to envision an educational system oriented towards startups and entrepreneurship opportunities for student and faculty, IMI, Kolkata has drafted its own policy to motivate & support their students and faculty members to participate in entrepreneurship related activities and to motivate them to consider entrepreneurship as a career option as well. IMI organizes lectures/seminars/summits/clinics for mentoring on a regular basis to promote the entrepreneurial agenda and innovation and also offers courses on Entrepreneurship.
Over the years, IMI, Kolkata has become a trusted brand for recruiters and providing 100% of placement since its inception and aims to provide the highly skilled human resource to the industry, the focus is to train out students in line with latest market trends and current market demand. IMI is consistently adding more national and international brands in their placement bucket with the focus to become one of the finest institutions in terms of providing industry ready workforce. IMI, Kolkata provides different kinds of scholarships to meritorious students to help them achieve their dreams. “Currently we provide scholarships based on merit, social categories and regional diversity where students get a deduction of INR 1 to 2 lakhs approximately. We also provide scholarships under the economically weaker section, where candidates are eligible to get 100% tuition fee waiver of the PGDM Programme”. concludes Professor Mohua Banerjee, Director.
Prof (Dr) Mohua Banerjee – Director
With over sixteen years of experience in teaching, Prof. Mohua Banerjee is a professor of Marketing. Having completed her PhD in Commerce from the University of Calcutta, she has taught in India and also as a Visiting Professor in foreign universities. She is an Independent Director in manufacturing companies. Professor Banerjee has been involved in Retail Management curriculum development for National Skill Development Mission, NITTTR, Ministry of HRD, Government of India.