We have separate courses under banner of Talewind where we educate students on job search strategies, says Dr Nanda-HOD

Dr Neena Nanda Head of the Department-Business Analytics and Decision Sciences, ITM Business School, Navi Mumbai speaks in-depth with Shiksha.com about the main distinguishing characteristics of the teaching methodology that set the institution apart from others providing comparable programmes. She goes into great detail when discussing steps taken to prepare students for the workplace, motivating elements for success, and placements.

Neena Nanda, who was named "Best Professor in Business Information & Analytics" by AMP Academic Excellence, conducts a number of research and consulting projects involving the use of quantitative data. She has developed a ‘Statistical model to measure and predict complicated interplay between Social Media Marketing Content and Online Engagement in Online Environment’ for the first area, ‘Employer Branding.’

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: Among many salient features of our teaching methodology, a few are mentioned below:

• Inquiry-Based Learning: This is one of the most powerful teaching strategies in our classrooms.
• Hackathon:  It uses real-world scenarios, encounters, and problems to engage students in critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and self-management. Once students solve the problem or challenge, they present their solutions. The highlight is the collaboration of digital tools, and problem-solving skills to come up with a solution to the problem presented.
• Engagement with Technology: Technology is used in a wisely managed way and for a variety of activities. Student engagement is done through Google Docs, Google meet, Zoom, Google Classroom, YouTube videos, Quizlet, Kahoot, and soon the Remind app. These innovative apps and websites help to engage students, remind them about upcoming assignments, provide visual learning through videos, organize student learning, provide group collaboration, and provide check-ups on learning through games and online quizzes.
• Crossover Learning: We emphasize a lot on learning in informal settings through our NGO projects, Capstone projects, Research-based projects where learning can be deepened by adding questions and knowledge from the classroom. Students are encouraged to use live data from field to arrive at solutions.
• Inviting Entrepreneurs and Innovators Into The Classroom: We have guest speakers who are entrepreneurs, innovators, professionals and have been successful in their own ways.  They share their valuable lessons of success and failures which no books can ever provide.
• Embodied Learning: Embodied learning involves self-awareness of the body interacting with a real or simulated world to support the learning process. In embodied learning, we have an in house Wellness Center, a counselor who can be reached any time and Yoga that forms part of our curriculum.  The aim is that mind and body work together so that physical feedback and actions reinforce the learning process

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

A: We have separate courses under banner of Talewind where we educate students on job search strategies, resume development and interviewing techniques.It also includes communication skills, email etiquettes. All this increases the career readiness, employability and successful work transitions of our students.

Students get relevant work experience through five-month internship and learn the corporate life lessons along with digital competencies of the Industry.

Organise events to engage and foster relationships with employers –Guest Sessions, on-campus interviews, Internships, Corporate to campus event.

Engage each student career-related assessments through the thoughtful integration of academic and career planning processes in form of Industry Readiness report.

Additional certification courses to hone skills as per Industry demand.

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

A: Having analytical, and research skills are the most basic skills that you need to possess. This means you have the wherewithal to work with huge amounts of data, understand the patterns, correlation, causation, relationships and connections that exists within all that mountains of data. Other than that, you need to be able to communicate effortlessly with all.

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

A: Our curriculum is devised in the assistance of 50+  Data Scientists who have been in this field for more than 10 years. Also we have our board of studies twice every year where experts from academia and Industry come and give their suggestions on content addition/deletion. Our specialized courses are conducted by visiting faculties who are currently working in this field

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

A: Yes. We have successfully been using various google platforms for conducting lectures, internal assessments, submission of projects and even for industrial visits. We also give big support to students who want to give a shot on their start up ideas. We have two of our students from first batch of Business Analytics who have started their own entrepreneur initiatives. Data Freak  and DiGiworld .