We have tailored micro-specialisation and value-added courses that are future-ready, says Prof Kumar (GIBS)

Prof Mohan Kumar of Global Institute of Business Studiest alks about numerous teaching approaches used at the institute in an interview with Shiksha.com. He goes into great length on the instructor/teacher technique, the learner-centered method, and the interactive and participatory method. He also discusses tailormade micro-specialisation and value-added courses that assist students to stay up to date with industry norms, in addition to these techniques.

Prof. Kumar is working as a Practice Head for Wipro Limited. Here, he is responsible for digital technologies and, in particular, hyper-scale cloud competencies. He has over 32 years of IT experience.

Read the complete interview in detail

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

A: We at GIBS college cover a combination of several methodologies. I would like to talk about three prominent methodologies.

The first is the Instructor/Teacher method. In this method, the teacher plays the role of being a master of subject matter. The learners look upon the teachers as experts or authorities. The instructor presents a series of business events, facts, or principles, explores a business problem, or explains business relationships. The learners listen and get their doubts clarified by asking questions based on the topics. It’s a wonderful way to tap into the potential of students.

The second method is learner-centered methods. In this method, the teacher or instructor comprehends the roles of both teacher and learner. They learn new things every day and, in the classroom, to extend their intellectual horizons. They get inside the subject and come up with rich content. It also becomes a content-based method because it adds more value to the syllabus and curriculum.

The third method is the interactive and participative method. It includes situational analysis, group discussion techniques, assignments, seminars, conclaves, and experiential and case studies. Apart from the multiple approaches, we nurture our students through practical, field visits, experts’ speeches, presentations, and project work.

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

 A: We have applied multiple strategies to make students industry-ready. We align student learning with employer-defined skills. To achieve this, we provide hands-on learning through internships and project learning. We always focus on skill enhancement along with regular education. We assess students’ growth and address skillset gaps between the workforce and industry requirements. We have implemented a learner-centered, knowledge-centered, assessment-centered, and community-centered student learning environment.

With all these steps, connecting students to industry experts is a key part of training. We provide industry-based training through problem design, periodic feedback, and expert solutions. We provide appropriate opportunities for internships and project work.

We have tailored micro-specialisation and value-added courses that are future-ready. As part of our innovative learning, we set up a finishing school. We continuously organise workshops and national and international meet-ups. Apart from all these, we have a strong placement cell that ensures 100% placements.

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

A: We evaluate students on multiple parameters. The main qualities we look for in applicants are:

• Positive attitude towards study
• Passion for the chosen course subject
• Ability to think and work independently
• Curiosity and an attentive mind
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work in teams

A student can easily excel by focusing and honing basic skills. These skills include adaptive thinking, communication skills, collaboration skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, creativity and innovation, technological skills, etc.

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

A: We have industry experts as part of the Board of Studies and Academic Council. We constantly update our curriculum according to industry developments and follow emerging trends and technologies. We continuously research and take feedback from industry experts on the new trends and technology in the industry.

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

A: We have a dedicated entrepreneurship center of excellence and we encourage entrepreneurial students through mentorship and guidance.