IIM-A: No immediate plans to set up campuses abroad

Even though sibling IIM-Bangalore is keen to go ahead with its overseas campus by amending its Memorandum of Association (MOA), IIM-Ahmedabad still has no immediate plans to open any campus abroad. This was made clear by IIM-A Director Dr Bakul Dholakia on Tuesday afternoon.

Talking to newspersons in connection with the IIM-A students’ annual cultural event ‘Chaos’, Dr Dholakia said that the premier business school, as of now, has no proposal for any overseas campus. He said that even without any ‘brick and mortar’ presence, the IIM-A has a considerable overseas presence in terms of short-term courses and exchange programmes.

The IIM-A has also conducted short-term programmes in Egypt, Bangkok and Beijing and courses would start soon in Middle East too, Dr Dholakia said. IIM-A already has 37 different tie-ups with various B-schools and universities abroad. Talking about future programmes, he said that a one-year MBA course would be started by IIM-A especially for the IAS and other government officers.

Beginning from 2007, the new abridged course will have 50 seats, he said. This would be in addition to the increase in the seats for the Post Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPX) from the current 50 to 70, Dr Dholakia revealed.

As part of the annual cultural event this year, a dozen odd students of the IIM-A would conduct a day-long workshop in management of Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs).

This free workshop, suggested by IIM-A Board Chairman N R Naraynamurthy of Infosys, is aimed at bridging the knowledge gap between the MBA students and the SMEs, gaining practical experience and applying management skills in real life situations in which SMEs exit and function.