Pedagogy must be flexible

In an exclusive interaction with Ritwik Mukherjee of The Statesman, Srikrishna G Kulkarni, chairperson, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), outlines how the first national institute for postgraduate studies and research in management has evolved and emerged as an international centre of excellence in all facets of management education.

He explains different facets of how this institute, established by the Government of India in November 1961 in collaboration with Alfred P Sloan School of Management (MIT), the Government of West Bengal, the Ford Foundation and Indian industry, is actively evolving to meet new challenges and realities of the business world by focusing on key areas like entrepreneurship, innovation, and interdisciplinary learning.

Q: The unprecedented volatility in the world of business caused by some recent geopolitical events - from the Covid-19 pandemic to the Russia-Ukraine war and the tensions in West Asia - has prompted large companies to take a relook at business and operational strategies. Did it have a ripple effect on the way management professionals are normally trained by the B-schools?

A: The answer is yes. In response, the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta is now incorporating more adaptive learning models, emphasizing crisis management, global supply chain resilience, and agility in leadership, to better prepare our students to be future leaders who are comfortable in complex, unpredictable environments. The institute has introduced a range of courses that foster entrepreneurial thinking, including design thinking that will equip our students to respond to complex and unpredictable environments. We are also promoting interdisciplinary programmes that combine management theory, technology, social sciences, law and digital innovation, with an aim to equip our students to better respond to multifaceted problems. With a strong emphasis on digital enablement, IIM Calcutta ensures that its graduates are well-prepared to meet the changing demands of potential employers in a fast-evolving global landscape.

Q: Could you throw some light on the executive management programme IIM Calcutta has launched in Dubai, with a different pedagogy focused on the fragile Middle East?