Richard Ivey invests in IIM-Bangalore for research, exchange programmes

The Richard Ivey School of Business (Ivey) at the University of Western Ontario has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), according to which Ivey will invest $100,000 (around Rs 46 lakh) in India’s premier business school.

“We have signed this MoU to foster and grow research collaborations between the two management schools. This partnership also aims at developing India-specific case materials for use in business education around the world,” said Carol Stephenson, dean, Richard Ivey School of Business.

The MoU was signed in Bangalore this week to help expand the global research network of both the schools and to encourage joint research and co-authorship between faculty at IIM-B and Ivey for joint publication of articles and case studies in top international academic and managerial journals. The investment will also include the costs incurred for student and faculty exchange programmes. The MoU will be reviewed in a year’s time.

“The partnership will enhance support for PhD training at Ivey and IIM-B by providing support to doctoral students who want to pursue course work and field research in Canada and India. It will also support IIM-B’s emphasis on case-based teaching and writing, enhancing its reputation as a leader in management education in India,” said Stephenson.

In fact, Ivey is in talks with more than 25 companies in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai to develop executive education programmes, especially for their middle management.

Ivey had set up a Centre for Case Development (CCD) at the Indian School of Business (ISB) in 2008 to train and support faculty from ISB and other business schools in India and to write cases on Indian and other emerging markets. The two have expanded their partnership now, with CCD organising a case-writing competition in partnership with the Association of Indian Management Schools (AIMS).

“The winning cases will get an opportunity to be featured internationally in the Ivey Publishing. The winners of the competition will also be invited to present their case at the AIMS Annual Management Education Convention in August 2010,” said Savita Mahajan, chief executive of ISB’s Mohali campus.

Mahajan added that Ivey’s faculty would mentor Indian faculty; though there won’t be any financial transaction between the two. Also, to help participants (faculty from various B-schools) develop quality case studies, ISB and Ivey will be organising information sessions in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.