IIM Kashipur introduces digital empowerment and interdisciplinary learning

Kashipur: IIM Kashipur, a leading Indian management institute, is dedicated to Digital Empowerment and Capacity Building through the National Education Policy for working professionals. NEP 2020 envisages the following goals for higher education – (a) develop thoughtful individuals with one or more areas of specialization – namely sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and languages, as well as professional, technical, and vocational subjects, (b) help individuals achieve personal accomplishment and prepare them for productive contributions to society and (c) enable achievement of economic independence.

A branch of higher education, namely, technical education, covers several specializations such as life and health sciences, engineering, and management. NEP (2020) expects high demand for skilled professionals in these sectors. Further, there is a need for an interdisciplinary approach to skilling individuals and a closer collaboration between academia and industry. NEP (2020) suggests focusing on emerging areas like Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3-D machining, big data analysis, machine learning, genomic studies, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and neuroscience. These areas are critical to developing better health, environment, and sustainable solutions. IIM Kashipur has been aligning its programs toward achieving the goals of higher education formulated in NEP 2020. A key obstacle in realizing the aspirations of working people is access to quality education.

Prof. K. Venkataraghavan, Associate Professor (IT & Systems) and Associate Dean (Admin) said, “IIM Kashipur recognizes the challenges faced by working professionals and has embraced digital empowerment to deliver quality content to working people worldwide. Digital empowerment involves the use of digital technologies in the capacity building of individuals. This aligns with the thrust in NEP for Sustainable Development Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by India in 2015 – which seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”

IIM Kashipur uses synchronous learning technologies to overcome obstacles of time and distance in delivering content to aspiring working professionals. The team has developed and successfully conducted several capacity-building programs in online and hybrid modes over the past several years in the areas identified in NEP 2020. Such programs include but are not limited to machine learning, big data analytics, supply chain management, financial analytics, strategy and entrepreneurship, project management, and general management. Also, have conceptualized these programs in different formats ranging from 60 hours to one year to cater to the diverse needs of working professionals. This provides lifelong upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all.

Prof. Mayank Sharma, Associate Professor (IT & Systems) at IIM Kashipur said, “On the higher education degree programs, we have leveraged digital technologies to deliver Executive MBA programs for working professionals in a hybrid mode. This allows for more participation while maintaining the rigor to complete a higher degree program. A plethora of digital technologies are adopted for this purpose ranging from learning management systems, virtual examination suites, and state-of-the-art video conferencing.”

IIM Kashipur recognizes the importance of incorporating emerging technologies into its MBA curriculum. Currently, IIM Kashipur offers two management programs in regular mode, namely, MBA and MBA (Analytics). As advocated by NEP 2020, integrating technical subjects into the management curriculum makes it interdisciplinary. For example, the curriculum in our full-time programs includes machine learning, deep learning, big data analytics, social media analytics, business intelligence, data visualization, domain-specific analytics course in human resources, operations, finance and marketing, and health analytics, to name a few.

Further, in line with NEP 2020 on the thrust for entrepreneurship and employability from higher education institutions, the graduates at IIM Kashipur get the best employment opportunities across industries and sectors. Towards capacity building, centers of Excellence at IIM Kashipur, such as FIED and DIC, train budding entrepreneurs with particular emphasis on agribusiness and allied areas.