Today management education faces some kind of reformation. In addition to receiving a degree, students are expected to have a set of skills and knowledge allowing them to communicate efficiently, solve problems arising in the course of their work, team up with co-workers, be familiar with technology, adjust to changes, and make use of their knowledge from day one in the workplace.

That is why GIBS Business School, Bangalore created a unique learning environment in which learning includes not only academic instruction but practical exposure, industry exposure, employability enhancement, entrepreneurship, and holistic development.

Learning Model That Goes Beyond the Classroom

One of the key features of GIBS is the focus on learning from experience. The PGDM course implies the implementation of a learning model including around 50% practical learning, 20% fieldwork, and 30% academic classes. It allows students to acquire management concepts through application rather than through textbooks and lessons alone. Discussions of cases, working on live projects, presentations, industry exposure, simulations, field assignments, visits to corporations and hands-on exercises help students learn management theories and apply them to a business context.

It is particularly useful in view of the current expectations of the employer which include analytical, communicational skills, problem solving, ability to work in a team, ability to adjust to changing conditions, and professional maturity of management graduates.

Preparing Students for Corporate Environment Using CPMP

Academic knowledge makes the basis of management education; however, career success of students also depends on the development of professional competencies. For this reason GIBS has implemented the Certificate in Personal Mastery Program (CPMP) which is aimed at developing professional competencies necessary for successful performance during internships, placements, and early careers for PGDM, MBA & BBA. CPMP concentrates on communication, professional image, preparations for an interview, participation in group discussions, presentation skills, behavior in the workplace, aptitudes, building up confidence and readiness for the career. Thanks to regular practice, assessment, mock interviews, simulations, and feedbacks, students keep on improving their professional skills.

Fostering Innovation, Research and Entrepreneurship

Contemporary business education should involve students' involvement in creating, innovating and problem solving. School of Innovation, Research & Entrepreneurship (IRE) at GIBS gives opportunities to explore topics which are beyond the scope of the traditional program thus fostering innovation-oriented thinking, research, entrepreneurship and identification of business opportunities. Students meet with entrepreneurs, industry specialists, innovators and subject matter experts and learn from them. Entrepreneurial skills are additionally fostered by initiatives such as CampusBiz allowing students to understand how to create a business, execute it, deal with customers, work in a team, make decisions, and understand the realities of the market. Instead of learning entrepreneurship from books students learn how to make use of their ideas and create viable business.

Business Understanding with Business Mastery Program

Another essential part of the learning ecosystem of GIBS is Business Mastery Program (BMP). The idea behind BMP is to improve students' understanding of how businesses operate in a real world. Practical assignments, business activities, consulting type of work, interactions and projects help develop decision making and management skills. These activities give an opportunity to analyze problems, collaborate in a team, make presentations and comprehend different aspects of business operation. Combining academic and practical knowledge helps gradually develop management skills.

Holistic Development with MindValley Program

Corporate success depends not only on technical skills. Emotional intelligence, resilience, discipline, confidence, physical well-being, creativity and self-awareness are also very important factors. GIBS takes care of these aspects of students' development through MindValley Program (MVP) for PGDM, MBA & BBA students aimed at the holistic development of the mind, body, heart, and spirit. Students participate in activities related to fitness, mindfulness, creativity, emotional development, self-awareness, teamwork and personal development. This approach recognizes the fact that managers have to operate in rapidly changing environments; being able to stay cool, flexible, cooperative and self-aware may significantly contribute to career development in the future.

Integration of Technology and Emerging Business Skills

As businesses from different industries start implementing artificial intelligence, analytics, digital platforms, automation, data analysis and decision making, management students have to understand how emerging technologies impact strategy and operations. GIBS provides exposure to the following contemporary domains as artificial intelligence, business analytics, digital marketing, FinTech, product management, international business, operations and supply chain management and other specializations. Such approach allows students to develop skills in areas which are becoming increasingly relevant for modern organizations and integrate management theories with specialized skills.

Industry Exposure As a Part of the Learning Process

Industry exposure plays an important role in preparation of students for a career. At GIBS, students receive industry exposure through guest lectures, corporate interaction, industrial visits, internships, live projects, workshops, placement preparation and interactions with people from different industries. Such activities allow students to get an understanding of the expectations of the employer, emerging job roles, challenges of the industry, culture of the workplace, and career opportunities; at the same time students receive the learning from people who are working in business now.

Preparing Students for Careers, Not for Placements Only

The notion of corporate readiness goes far beyond the process of securing initial employment. A management graduate should be able to communicate professionally, be ready to constant learning, adapt to new tasks, work in a team, take the ownership and deliver measurable value for organizations. That is why GIBS concentrates on career preparation of the students through the entire duration of the academic program rather than in the final period of the placement season. Through an integrated program involving practical learning, CPMP, IRE, BMP, MindValley Program, industry exposure, technology-oriented specializations and constant career preparation GIBS aims at producing confident and responsible professionals.

Conclusion

Future of management education depends on how successfully the institutions manage to align the academic curriculum with the needs of the industry. Today the students coming to the business schools need much more than management theories; they need opportunities to experiment, communicate, innovate, collaborate, work with technology, solve problems and understand the reality of business operations. Thus, through the combination of classroom instruction with experiential learning, corporate readiness initiatives, entrepreneurship, industry exposure, and holistic development, GIBS Business School is developing a model of management education focused on preparing students for the demands of the business world. For students intending to get management education at the B-school, this approach shows one of the key points to consider: the real value of management education lies not only in knowledge but also in its effective use in career practice.

The views expressed in this article are of GIBS Business School and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.