'International exposure makes IMT-Dubai different'

The Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Dubai is one of the few Indian business schools to have got an approval from the UAE’s ministry of higher education and scientific research to offer an accredited MBA programme and executive education to companies operating in the UAE. IMT Dubai’s director Farhad Rad – Serecht told Kirtika Suneja how the institute plans to remain different from other B-schools. Edited excerpts

What makes IMT Dubai different?
The MBA programme at IMT Dubai has two specific features — experiential learning and international exposure. Experiential learning refers to compulsory internship and a credit course. There is a also practical dimension to the course besides theoretical approach. It is international exposure that makes IMT Dubai different. The programmes here take place in the financial hub and global city of Dubai and that exposes students to different cultures and the MNCs operating out of Dubai. Moreover, our faculty members come from different nationalities.

Do you plan to add new programmes this year?
This year we plan to launch Management Development Programmes (MDPs) to suit local needs. We are exploring different programmes like a joint MBA programme with IMT Ghaziabad which will happen rotation-wise between the two campuses. Also, there will be some specialised MDPs next year. Moreover, some exchange programmes with other universities are also in the pipeline.

Will this translate into increased batch sizes at the institute?
We follow the semester system at IMT Dubai wherein we take students twice a year-in the fall season in September and then in April when the second level of admissions happen. In September, we enroll almost a hundred students and another 50 in April. There will be a reasonable upward progression in the number depending on factors like the ratio of faculty to students, internships and company projects, among others. The numbers will marginally increase every year.

Do you also plan to increase the faculty strength?
Yes. At this point of time, we have 18 full-time faculty members besides visiting faculty and guest lecturers. However, we need more diversification. We will add four more members to the faculty this year and another five in 2010-11 because new programmes will be launched. So, we would need more academics who would also focus on research. However, we have an individual supervision policy at IMT and the classroom size is limited to 35 students.