Each student will have a senior industry mentor based on student’s career plan: BITSoM Dean

Ranjan Banerjee, Dean BITS School of Management (BITSoM) in conversation with Shiksha talks about how this new B-school from the pedigree of BITS Pilani is different from other institutions offering MBA in the country. Dr Banerjee also spoke about the industry-focused curriculum and experiential learning methodology.

Q. BITSoM is a new B-School. How is it different from other B-Schools in the country?

A. We are aspiring to create a new world-class business school out of Mumbai. We are backed by BITS Pilani, an institute of national eminence. We are a new school but we have the support of 55000+ BITS alumni to draw upon. As a part of BITS Pilani, we will be able to offer MBA degrees from day one.

We are trying to create a top-notch learning experience based on three pillars – teaching excellence, the curriculum and a personalized learning experience through individual attention to every student.

We have handpicked top-notch faculty from across the world. Faculty from Wharton, Kellogg, NYU, SMU, Texas Austin and Cornell are teaching at BITSOM. Each subject is taught over two weeks in an intense and immersive manner, using the block teaching method. The initial teaching feedback suggests that students are delighted with the quality of teaching that is being seen across the board.

The second pillar is our curriculum. In established schools, the changing curriculum is like changing the wheels on a running train. We have had the opportunity to design a curriculum that is built for the digital age from day one. With insights and inputs from leaders across industry and academia, the curriculum will ensure that our students are future-ready.

The third pillar is our focus on individual attention for every student. Two of our faculty (Dr Leena Chatterjee and myself) will work with each and every student to build a personal learning and development plan which will help them through their two years in the program. Additionally, each student will have a senior industry mentor who will be matched based on the student’s career plan, for one-on-one feedback and guidance.

Q. Tell us about the use of Block learning and experiential learning methodology. How will it be helpful to students?

A. Though several universities abroad have adopted block teaching, it is still uncommon in India. The key difference from the traditional semester approach is that courses are taught sequentially. Our blocks are designed to be two weeks long and at a time, students take only two courses - one from the core curriculum and one from the WAW track. This provides students with an intense and immersive experience. Students focus on a limited number of subjects at a time. Assessments happen immediately after the block ends, ensuring that the knowledge is fresh.

Q. The institute offers specialisation in areas like entrepreneurship and innovation, marketing and consumer insights. Tell us something about it?

A. BITSoM offers five specialisations – “Entrepreneurship and Innovation”, “Finance and Investing”, “E-commerce and Digital Leadership”, “Leadership and Strategy”, and “Marketing and Consumer Insights”. Informal feedback from students indicates that the specialisations on Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and E-commerce and Digital Leadership are unique and relevant. These specializations are not offered in the current form in most other schools. Entrepreneurship is an important area of focus for us and we offer students a career pathway for it that goes beyond the specialization; with access to mentors, VCs and the right networks. This is all backed by the entrepreneurial spirit and track record of BITS Pilani and its Alumni.

The Marketing and Consumer Insights specialisation will build on core marketing courses taught in the first year. The curriculum has been designed to ensure that students have a solid grounding in the fundamentals and concepts of marketing as well as a good grip on digital marketing.

Q. BITSoM also offers transformative learning in the field of emerging technologies: Design Thinking, Data Science and Analytics. Tell us about it?

A. Today, technology is embedded in every aspect of the way work is done. it is no longer vertical, but horizontal, therefore, elements of technology have been embedded in all our specializations. Traditional courses are also taught in a contemporary, tech-enabled way- as an example, a highly popular introductory statistics course introduced students to hands-on working with R. Irrespective of specialization, all students have to go through a set of courses related to data science and analytics in the second year

Q. What kind of challenges BITSoM had to face during these Covid times and the techniques adopted to cope up?

A. Covid has been a challenge for the entire education sector. Our academic session too started online, and classes will continue online until the government permits us to hold physical classes. We have given our students the option to come to Mumbai and stay at the student residences subject to appropriate vaccination and health safeguards. We are happy that many students have taken this option and moved to Mumbai. Our students have been interacting with each other in study groups, clubs and committees etc. While classes are held online, we are able to enrich the experience by providing offline peer learning in small groups.

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