The Higher Education Review

Dr. Khanna is the Director and Marketing Professor at SIMSR. She has an overall experience of 25 years in Industry and Academia and her specializations include Brand Management, Marketing Research, and Services Marketing. She has also worked in the areas of Engineering & Industrial Automation. She is the member of the Executive Council of All India Management Association (AIMA) for 2017-19 and has published and presented papers in National and International forums.

Standing strong on the ideal "what you receive from society give back multifold", Late Shri. Karamshibhai Jethabhai Somaiya (Padmabhushan) was an iconic personality, who from his humble beginnings rose to become one of the doyens of the industry in Western India. Born in 1902 in the remote village of Malunjar in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, Late K.J Somaiya with his sheer hard work and commitment during his lifetime has earned a status in the entire Maharashtra which is still observable in the form of 36 institutions that are educating 39000+ students. All the institutions are operated under the umbrella of Somaiya Vidyavihar, which was commenced in 1959 by Late K.J Somaiya for providing a meaningful and relevant education that emphasizes both the liberal and professional aspects of higher education remaining true to the spirit of Indian ethos and culture.

Inaugurated by Dr. Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India in 1981, K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research (SIMSR) was, however, the outcome of a desire of extending state-of-the-art education in management and allied areas to the students who aspire to make a name in the realm of the business world. Nestled in a 50acre lush green campus and placed in the heart of the commercial hub of

Mumbai, SIMSR is known widely among the varied stakeholders of education for imparting quality management education amidst unmatched facilities. "Our campus location gives a noticeable edge over other campuses. Its unique site makes it a preferred choice for industry walkins and helps in bridging the gaps between academia and industry successfully," shares Dr. Monica Khanna, Director and Professor of Marketing, SIMSR.

"SIMSR gives substantial emphasis on research activities, where both faculty members and students are motivated to undertake projects from time to time"

In order to meet the different aspirations of the students, apart from the PGDM Core programme, the institute conducts an array of courses classified into versatile specializations viz. PGDM in International Business, Retail Management, Financial Services, Communications and Healthcare Management, Master of Management Studies along with an exclusive Executive MBA programme which was launched to fulfill the mid-career needs of working professionals with at least 5 years work experience. “We also offer part-time masters programme, enabling learners to pursue education according to their convenience,” points Dr. Khanna. SIMSR, given the rich legacy it has carried out since its inception, takes the pride on having tie-ups with eminent institutes & universities in Austria, China, Germany, Finland, UK & USA. Dr. Khanna adds, “For our Healthcare Management pro-gram, we have a tie-up with Imperial College Health Partners, part of Imperial College, UK, one of the Top-10 institutes across the globe “The average salary across programmes in AY 2017-18 was Rs. 9.87 LPA with highest being Rs. 30 LPA.

Nurturing Much-Needed Skills

SIMSR gives substantial emphasis on research activities, where both faculty members and students are motivated to undertake projects from time to time. “We have introduced Master Thesis for 2nd-year students and also have an in-house publication Business Perspectives and Research which is a SAGE publication that has an international editorial board where faculty can publish papers,” claims Dr. Khanna. The faculty members of SIMSR

till date have published about 72 papers in the academic year 2017-18. These research findings are brought into classrooms and constructive discussions and analysis happen. “Our students on the flip side are encouraged to develop their entrepreneurial spirit. At SIMSR, we strive for the holistic development of our students so that they can be confident enough to face the challenges of life later” mentions Dr. Khanna.

The talented team of faculty members adopts several modern teaching techniques while delivering an education which consists of class-room lectures, outbound programs, leadership program, socially relevant projects, blood donation camps, experiential learning initiatives and many more. “For every program, there is a Board of Studies comprising of industry and academic professionals. Meetings are held once in 6 months where there is a continuous review of curriculum, pedagogy, and subjects, ensuring the relevancy of the contents” opines Dr. Khanna. Coupled with in-house faculty members, a lot of guest speakers, visiting faculties, panel discussions, recruiters, workshops and so on, assist the students to acquire a sound grooming. The alumni are also invited to take part in admissions panel, as subject experts, as jury members for various competitions and events, chief guests for important programs and so on, enabling the former students to transfer their valuable experiences to the ongoing students.

As the institute focuses on letting students grow wholesomely, students are motivated to participate in various recreation activities. There are numerous clubs in the institute including Mauj (singing club), Grooves (dance club) and photography club along with many cultural programs like Melange, All Izz Well and sports events like Elan-e-Yudh that are held every year for the students. “The success that the institute has achieved over the years is the collective efforts of every past and the present member whose sole goal is to raise the standard of management education. Recently SIMSR earned the ISO 9001:2015 accreditation and is dedicatedly moving towards AA-CSB Accreditation in near future,” concludes Dr. Khanna.