Birla stresses on stronger IIMA-industry interface

Noted industrialist and Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla today said his key priority at IIMA will be to create a stronger bond between the premier business school and the industry.
The Aditya Birla Group head, on his first visit to the top management institute after being appointed Chairman of the IIMA Board of Governors by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in October, also stressed on the need to address the issue of shortage of faculty.
"One of my key roles in this new position will be to create a stronger bond between the industry and academia, particularly IIMA, so that they connect with each other and also learn from each other," said Birla during his interaction with the media at the IIMA campus.

"I believe faculty can take advantage of the practical experience of the industry and bring it back to the classroom. I will try to build an ecosystem to reinforce that relationship" he added.
Commenting on the issue of shortage of faculty, Birla stated that almost all top educational institutes are facing this problem. "This is an issue which all institutes are facing. I am facing such a problem in BITS Pilani (Birla Institute of Technology & Science). We all will work together to address this issue here."
Asked to share his views about the autonomy status of IIMA, the business tycoon asserted that it should not be altered.

"This institute has grown in a certain way. IIMs have their own DNA and they are also self-regulated and self taught. Thus, autonomy is an integral part of these institutes and it should remain like that."
Birla also attended the quarterly board meeting at the institute today.