Strathclyde SKIL Business School (SSBS) – the joint B-School initiative by Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde, UK and Indian infrastructure pioneer SKIL Infrastructure Ltd – has finally taken off. SSBS, which has its campus in the National Capital Region in Greater Noida, is currently conducting the admissions process for first academic session starting from September 2011.
Strathclyde Business School, UK is one of only 48 business schools in the world to be triple accredited. The B-school has been accredited by AMBA, AACSB, EQUIS. The first programme to be offered at the India campus is MiM.
MBAUniverse.com spoke to Prof. Phil Taylor, Academic Director of Programmes, Strathclyde SKIL Business School, to know more about this B-school.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. What prompted Strathclyde B-school, Glasgow to set up a campus in India?
A. The long-term partnership between University of Strathclyde and SKIL is underpinned by the University of Strathclyde's academic heritage and business acumen, in combination with the thirst for knowledge in India's booming new economy.
Strathclyde is proud of its links with excellent overseas institutions and is committed to providing globally-relevant education and research. At the same time, SKIL has a strong belief in empowering young people with excellent education, and has recently taken a 20%-plus stake and a co-promoter status in the world's largest VSAT education network company, Everonn Education Limited.
Q. What have been the key learning from the setting up of offshore campuses in Singapore, Malaysia, Oman, Greece etc?
A. We now have over 20 years experience of setting up offshore programmes and have learned that it requires careful management with a long term view. It typically takes at least 3 years to establish a clear presence and build reputation.
We have always entered a new location with a 10 year plan for its development, and have undertaken our preliminary research very carefully. We have a policy of always working closely with local communities and government and so ensuring that we adapt to local conditions and are able to meet local demands.
Our concern is to ensure that our students are not simply given a UK education but can truly set that education within the local setting. We have learned to regard these policies as crucial to success.
Q. What career avenues will likely to be there for MiM grads? How will you ensure 100% good quality placements?
A. The placement prospects in India are bright. We will endeavor to provide campus placements leveraging the vast network of corporate connections of both Strathclyde and SKIL. We are confident that leading Indian Companies and MNCs would employ our students. The students will get a competitive edge due to the exposure they get in an international study scenario and the research orientation of the programmes of study. During their semester in Glasgow students from India will mix with international students from diverse cultures and backgrounds. As a result, course members will benefit greatly from this international and multicultural learning experience, making contacts that form part of their future business networks.
Q. What differences are there between the 2-year masters MiM and a MBA programme?
A. The principal difference between the 2-year Masters in Management (MiM) being offered by SSBS and an MBA is that the former is essentially a pre-experience programme. Graduates from a wide range of disciplines and subjects, who ordinarily have no or limited work experience, are encouraged to apply.
Q. What profile are you looking at for selecting students? For whom is MiM best suited?
A. We are looking for candidates who have obtained a first division in any discipline from a recognized university. CAT/GMAT scores are desirable.
Course participants will require a high level competence in English speaking, writing, reading and listening. If candidates undergraduate studies were not in taught in English, then he/she may be asked to achieve a minimum of 6.5 across the board in IELTS or 95 (IBT) in TOEFL. The candidate may be asked to undertake a formal interview to discuss the achievements and aspirations.
Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more news from SSBS.
