IISWBM eyes pacts with US schools

Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM) is likely to tie-up with The University of Michigan and Kurtztown University in Pennsylvania, for running courses in sports management.

A final decision is likely to be taken by next month.

"The proposal of collaboration came from the University of Michigan. We have not yet taken a final decision on the matter," said U K Bandyopadhayay, registrar of IISWBM.

The course would include student and teacher exchange programme, and joint research, said Ashoke K Dutta, director of IISWBM.

"We have about 1,800 management institutes across the country. We have to find a niche area, if we have to be distinct from others," he said.

The institute was also planning to send a team of students to the Beijing Olympic 2008, said Dutta.

"The sports management department has made significant strides this year. Our submissions on the draft National Sports Policy, 2006 , have been appreciated by the Union ministry of youth affairs and sports as well, as the deputy chairman of the planning commission," he said.

The ministry had also invited the institution's proposals for making the National Sports Development Fund more useful to achieve excellence in sports at the international level, he added.

IISWBM has also collaborated with Institute of International Management Consultancy of Ludwigshafen, University of Applied Sciences', Germany for management courses.