IIM-A, CoWrks ink pact for research, executive education programmes

Taking its research strengths to the co-working industry while making use of such properties to expand its executive education offerings in major cities, Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CoWrks India.

As part of the MoU, the premier B-school will collaborate with the co-working space player in the areas of executive education, start-up support, and incubation as well as IIM-A alumni engagement. The co-working spaces owned by CoWrks will be used to organise activities in the aforementioned three areas to further the objectives of the two organisations. 

IIM-A would collaborate with CoWrks to conduct research and develop case studies on mutually agreed upon subjects, including gig economy, future of work, workspace design, workforce productivity, impact of co-working, and freelancing on urban work, among others.

The institute has been looking to take its executive education programmes, also known as management development programmes, out of its campus to major cities to cater to the growing India Inc’s training needs. 

As a result, IIM-A will use CoWrks centres in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and other upcoming locations to offer executive education programmes. This will be done in a phased manner, depending on market response and other factors.

“IIM-A plans to expand its activities in the areas of executive education and entrepreneurship and at the same time deepen its engagement with the alumni. The IIM-A-CoWrks partnership is ideal to implement these plans in a synergistic fashion as alumni can use various centres of CoWrks across the country to meaningfully engage with each other and also contribute to executive education and entrepreneurship related activities of the institute. We are pleased to get such an active strategic partner,” said Rakesh Basant (dean-alumni and external relations) of IIM-A.

IIM-A will provide the academic and training expertise for the programmes, while CoWrks will support the successful implementation of the programmes with its infrastructure and operational expertise. 

Similarly, IIM-A’s Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship will be conducting boot-campus, discussions, seminars, talks, mentoring sessions/clinics, pitching events, accelerator programmes and other start-up support programmes or events and locate its incubatees in CoWrks centres. 

Over time, these centres could evolve or develop into hubs for IIM-A alumni engagement. 

According to Nruthya Madappa, managing partner, The CoWrks Foundry and Director-New Products, CoWrks, the research, executive education, and start-up activities are aimed at creating a collaborative engagement between its and IIM-A’s alumni.

“CoWrks being the preferred choice for large enterprises and start-up unicorns, we are looking forward to offering cutting-edge, continuous support to our pan-Indian community in collaboration with IIM-A,” Madappa added.