NIIT to focus on global markets

IT education major NIIT said that it had chalked out a five-point strategy including focusing on international markets, servicing corporates and making alliances with universities in India and abroad for formal training.

The company also said that it will expand its China operations by launching new programmes for software analysts and architects later this quarter. "IT and IT-assisted education will be our focus. In the customer segment, we plan to focus on corporates and schools under our K-12 programme. We also will have more thrust on international business," said Vijay Thadani, chief executive officer, NIIT.

In order to move up the value chain, the company is also gearing up for a stronger presence in the formal IT training segment. It recently entered into a similar tie-up with IIT, Delhi, to offer bio-informatics courses.

Thadani said: "China's software development sector needs another 2.10 lakh professionals by 2005. This represents a big opportunity for NIIT to participate in the preparation of networking professionals and programmers."

"NIIT's global learning business is $115 million, while the Indian IT training market is $270 million. But when seen from the global IT education point of view which is a $26 billion dollar market, we have to move up," Thadani said, adding the strategies should help NIIT in addressing the gaps.