Our key focus lies in ensuring that our students are industry-ready when they join the workforce, says Director

Director Dr Debashis Guha, Master of Artificial Intelligence at SP Jain School of Global Management, talks about their flagship programs and pedagogy in an interview with Shiksha.com. Recruiters are usually seeking for prospects that can strike the ground running in a highly competitive atmosphere. SP Jain Global also strives to prepare students for careers in the industry.

Read the complete interview below

Q: What are the three things that your institute is doing that will enable it to differentiate itself from the competition?

A: SP Jain Global is one of the world’s top-ranked business schools. The top three qualities that distinguish us from our competitors are:

1. Our world-class faculty along with carefully nurtured global industry connections ensure highly relevant experiential teaching-learning processes that are supported by global placement opportunities
2. We offer specialised degree programmes that are carefully designed to meet the rising requirements of Industry 4.0, equipping our students with technological expertise along with in-depth knowledge of business management
3. We utilise a unique technology known as ELO for facilitating online teaching experience that is comparable to, and in some ways even superior to in-campus teaching

Q: What are the top three initiatives undertaken by you that are helping your students become more industry-ready?

A: In a highly competitive environment the recruiters are usually looking for applicants who can hit the ground running. At SP Jain Global, our key focus lies in ensuring that our students are industry-ready when they join the workforce. Apart from following an experiential learning approach, we follow a three-pronged strategy in each program to make sure that students receive comprehensive knowledge of industry practices:

1. Students work on projects and research in collaboration with industry experts. This gives them an in-depth knowledge of their field along with exposure to current practices
2. They are provided with numerous opportunities to visit, host, and interact with top industry executives, including leading alumni. The industry interaction is aimed to help students gain valuable insight and form their own network
3. Our world-class faculty has significant industry experience which is instrumental in ensuring that our teaching remains relevant.

Q: What are the key attributes that a student should have in order to qualify for your institution and perform better?

A: To qualify for the institution one must have -

1. A record of academic excellence
2. A record of workplace achievements (for postgraduate study)
3. Strong communication skills

To perform well in the curriculum, one must be dedicated and willing to work hard and follow a goal-oriented approach

Q: Which programme/s would you say is/are your best? What is it that helps your institution differentiate itself for this programme?

A: Our flagship programme is the Global MBA. With a consistently high rating, this programme is designed to develop a global approach towards various aspects of business management, providing our students with an in-depth perspective of the fast-evolving economic landscape. It focuses on data and business analytics with a view of equipping students to meet the emerging challenges of Industry 4.0.

Our other leading programme is Master of Artificial Intelligence in Business. This unique new programme offers a comprehensive postgraduate education in both AI and business management. As we see a greater intersection between cyber and human expertise, this programme leverages intensive training in the practical aspects of AI.

Q: What are you doing to improve/drive better campus placements for your current students and alumni? What kind of jobs routinely come to campus? What would you say are the key recruitment trends for your college (observed over the past five years)?

A: Fortunately, at SP Jain Global, the campus placements have been done virtually as well for many years along with the traditional style of hiring by our corporate partners. Hence in this covid era where our partners have revised their hiring model, it has been a seamless process for them to select students through the online mode. Most importantly, it saves time on these challenging days.

Our constant focus has been that our students are corporate-ready when the placements begin. Our dedicated preparation teams help the students undergo various activities so that they are aware of the industry demands. SP Jain Global has participation from various sectors and diverse companies which allows students to choose as per their aspirations. Companies these days are increasingly looking for students who are quick learners. Students who adapt easily to job expectations go a long way in terms of achieving their career goals.