Q&A: C Gopalkrishnan

'We want to see 20% students placed internationally in next 2 years'

While it may have been recognised as a ‘good business school with regional influence’ in 2009, the Institute of Management, Nirma University (IMNU) doesn't want to remain so. As the full-time director of the institute for over a year ago, C Gopalkrishnan, sums up IMNU's vision in one word ‘international’. In an interview with Business Standard, Gopalkrishnan tells Vinay Umarji how IMNU intends to spread its wings in the international arena. Edited Excerpts:

It's been over a year since you took over as full-time director from your predecessor Prof. Upinder Dhar. What is the roadmap you have set for the institute?
I joined as a faculty member in 2006. In 2009, when Prof. Dhar left IMNU to join as Director (Vice Chancellor) at JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) in Jaipur, the management asked me to be director-in-charge. However, six months later I was asked to continue as full-time director. Since then, we have been able to bring two quality senior faculty members, including one foreign faculty to the campus. There is a conscious effort being taken by us to improve our teaching and curriculum standards and grow as a brand internationally.

 

IMNU was recently recognised as a ‘good business school with regional influence’. Does that add to the institute's efforts to be known internationally?
Indeed. But we would not like to remain there. For instance, we have an MBA in Family Business and Entrepreneurship for students whose parents have their own business ventures. We want to convert this programme into a Centre of Excellence and make it an international one with participation from countries in Africa and South East Asia. For this, we intend to begin inviting applications from other countries as well in the near future.

Does the institute plan to have a satellite campus as well in other parts of the world?
No. But we are open to exchange programmes and more international students. Also, we would like to see our placements being taken seriously, internationally. Last year, we took three months to place all our students as against the average four days every year. Moreover, the placements have so far remained within the country but we want to take it to the international level as well. We will begin inviting more companies from outside the country. In fact, in the next 2-3 years, we want to see 15-20 per cent of our students being placed internationally.

What other steps is the institute taking to enhance its quality?
As I mentioned, we have recruited two faculty members so far. We hope to recruit 10-12 more faculty members and rise from the current 32 to about 45-46 in the near future. Also, with at least 2-4 more international faculty, we intend to make our curriculum more robust and globally relevant. We have also begun encouraging faculty members to publish their research – as per the HRD and UGC guidelines.

We also look to up the ante in our management development programmes and faculty development programmes, apart from enhancing our flagship MBA programme (MBA in Family Business & Entrepreneurship) and one-year executive programme by adding more courses.