We believe in constant experimentation and improvement in teaching methods at ABBS, says Associate Professor, Dr Soma

In a conversation with Shiksha.com, Associate Professor at ABBS, Dr Soma talks at length about the teaching methodology at ABBS. She goes into great detail talking about the need for constant experimentation and improvement in teaching methods to help students stay at par with the current industry standards. She also discusses about the lean six sigma, green belt quality certification that the institute offers.

Dr Soma is an academic and a PhD guide with around two decades of experience in shaping the lives of management students at PG level through teaching and mentoring.

Read the complete interview below.

Q: What are the salient features of the teaching methodology adopted by your college? How does this differ from others?

A: To promote our students' progress, we believe in constant experimentation and improvement in teaching methods at ABBSSM. In addition to teaching management concepts, we emphasise educating our students on how to apply such theories. To teach subjects to students, we use an action-based pedagogy that incorporates mini-projects, assignments, quizzes, and other activities. We provide a 4.5-month industrial internship programme in which students’ get job experience before entering the field. We offer them a wide range of contemporary subjects to pick from as their specialisation. Most significantly, by adding Theatre in Management throughout the course duration, we at ABBSSM are attempting to sharpen the personality, communication, and management knowledge of the students. We place a strong emphasis on the student's holistic development.

Q: How are you preparing your students to be Industry ready?

A: All of our course curriculums have been created by academic and corporate specialists. Aside from our course curriculum, ABBSSM offers a variety of certification courses, including lean six sigma, green belt quality certification, and more. We work with a number of prestigious national and international institutions. We also have a student exchange program with one of France's triple-crowned international B schools. Our students have the opportunity to study there for a term for credit exchange. Being an institute in partnership, students get the scope to get a dual master’s degree without any further selection process, there. Students also benefit from 4.5 month industrial internships and small projects to help them become industry-ready.

Q: What are the qualities you are looking for in student applicants? What qualities do they need to do well in your course?

A: During the complete selection process, we try and evaluate students basis their -          

• Analytical and practical skill
• Communication Skill
• Ambition and motivation and passion about career
• Problem solving and decision-making skill
• Creativity and innovation
• Discipline & team skill                 

Q: How do you ensure that your course curriculum is up to date and meets industry requirements?

A: Being an autonomous PGDM institution, we can modify our course curriculum regularly.  We frame our course curriculum based on suggestions from academic and industry experts. The course curriculum is continuously evaluated in terms of its effectiveness and accordingly modified.

Q: Is your college receptive to innovation, technology, science & entrepreneurship? How? Could you cite some examples of these?

A: Yes. Students have the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and knowledge of the subjects in all papers by solving real-world business cases, completing projects, and completing capstone projects. We have many groups where students organise programmes and demonstrate their leadership abilities. We also encourage and promote entrepreneurial thinking among our students. They participate in several contests, as well as seminars, workshops, and conferences. Our institution publishes an international publication to which our students contribute with their research articles. Probably, we are the only one institute, who run a student journal – “for the students, by the student, and of the student”.