The Indian School of Business (ISB) recently launched a Post Graduate Programme in Management for Senior Executives (PGPMAX) that incorporates best practices and knowledge from Kellogg School of Management and the Wharton School. Kirtika Suneja caught up with ISB's dean Ajit Rangnekar to discusse the new programme and other issues. Edited excerpts:
What made ISB introduce a programme for senior executives?
I started thinking about introduction of PGPMAX about three years ago. We felt the need for such a programme following interactions with senior executives, who took part in various programmes conducted by the premier business school. Today, we need business leaders who understand the global competition.
A completely different perspective is needed and PGPMax would be useful in this regard. The 15-month course is meant for senior executives who were being groomed by their organisations to move into leadership roles.
ISB is equipped to conduct such programmes, as it has the experience of working with 8,000-9,000 senior executives in the last 7-8 years. These senior executives are high-performing employees who are being groomed by their organisations to move into leadership roles. I am confident that PGPMAX, too, will break new ground in management education in India.
What is the duration of the programme and its fee structure?
It will be offered part-time over a period of 15 months. Students will be charged Rs 25 lakh for a 60-day course spread over these 15 months. For senior executives who have excelled in functional domains such as finance, marketing, sales, operations, healthcare, information technology, customer service, this part-time model of the programme supports these senior executives to pursue a post-graduate programme in management.
The programme design also ensures that location will not be a constraint for participants to take up this course. They will participate in classroom sessions of six days every six weeks.
How have Kellogg and Wharton contributed to the programme?
The course has been developed by incorporating E-MBA best practices in Kellogg and Wharton. Senior faculties of Wharton, Kellogg and ISB will teach these senior executives. Also, students will spend one week each in the campuses of the two management schools. We are looking for a batch of 60 students from the coming academic session that will commence from June 2010 onwards at the ISB campus at Hyderabad.
In general, how have the placements been this year?
Though the placements have not started as yet, the indicators are good. It seems that things will be on track this year.
How is work at the Mohali campus progressing?
We are yet to get land for our Mohali campus. However, once it's there, we will talk to foreign universities for alliances as the Mohali campus will cater to four new verticals of healthcare, public policy, manufacturing and infrastructure management.
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