ONE-YEAR MBA MOVES TO ‘EVER-EVOLVING CURRICULUM’ TO MEET MARKET TRENDS AND STUDENT REQUIREMENTS SCHOOL : Indian School of Business COUNTRY : India
The Indian School of Business (ISB) has introduced a set of comprehensive changes to its one-year MBA curriculum in a bid to meet the needs of a market that is in flux. The changes are described as ‘three-pronged’ in their focus and revolve around the inclusion of more practical learning methods and elective options, as well as greater flexibility. “The overarching impetus for the changes was the evolving nature of jobs and the reduced shelf life of knowledge,” declared ISB dean Madan Pillutla. In this context, Pillutla believes that “people who have a variety of skills will succeed” and advocates against having a rigid curriculum. “It is simply not going to be enough for them down the line,” he argued. To boost flexibility, the proportion of courses that form part of the core on the school’s Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP, the equivalent of an MBA in India) has dropped from 50 per cent to 40 per cent. In this way, 60 per cent of the programme can now be customised to suit an individual’s needs and ambitions.
Options to personalise the programme are further supported by an increase in electives, among which are new courses on artificial intelligence and machine learning. In addition, the programme structure has been tweaked to encompass four ‘block weeks’ within its six-week terms, allowing for the delivery of some courses that are shorter in length. In terms of practical learning, meanwhile, the school’s Office of Experiential Learning is ramping up its provision of activities outside the classroom, such as field immersions and industry-sponsored projects. Further changes are also in the pipeline, most notably the rolling out of academic advisory services that will seek to help students build a cross‑functional or multi-disciplinary set of elective courses, as an alternative to pursuing a sector specialisation. The programme changes are the result of faculty research into the future of work and related areas, such as technological shifts, according to Pillutla. “We also spoke extensively to the alumni, recruiters and industry at large as part of the process. The result is an ever-evolving curriculum that ensures a real-time response to newer trends and requirements,” he concluded. TBD
12 | Ambition | JUNE 2024
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