Emphasising on an intensive industry-based curriculum
Establishing a strong foundation in diverse fields of research and having a fruitful interaction with industry are the two most prominent features that any management institute focuses on. IES Management College and Research Centre, Mumbai which was started in 1998 ensures that industrial training from venerated companies result in the students developing into efficient and employable graduates. Dinesh D Harsolekar, Director, IES Management College, says, \"we take inputs from students, alumni and industry experts in order to do a thorough revision of curriculum once in every 3 years. We also introduce new electives every year.\" The Institute which is affiliated to Mumbai University for its two year full time Master of Management Studies program also offers AICTE approved full-time PGDM programs following trimester system. One of the most renowned courses offered by the College is the specialized PGDM program in Pharmaceuticals and Health Care. It is rated as one of the best institutes in India. There are also part-time programs related to marketing, finance and information management for working executives who attend evening classes or weekend lectures. There are two Ph.D. programs in Management. One is affiliated to University of Mumbai and the other one is affiliated to SNDT Women\'s University, the oldest women\'s university in India.
The key feature in imparting these courses proficiently is the presence of an organised and experienced faculty. Harsolekar mentions that majority of faculty members posses an extensive experience in working for reputed companies for more than ten years. As a result, the classroom sessions are practice oriented and students can enquire about the changes taking place in the industry. Besides that, numerous esteemed corporate executives are invited who deliver 60 to 80 guest lectures every year in different programs. Executives from big companies like Ranbaxy, HDFC, and few others visit the College to guide students as part of mock interview process. The Institute is involved in both academic and industrial collaborations with eminent industrial organisations such as CII and IMC, both national level bodies. The students attend programs conducted by them frequently and the College also assists in certain projects undertaken by these organisations as working partner. The students also work in companies once in a week to gain exposure about the corporate world. Harsolekar notes, \"last year, we had a dedicated mentorship session for the women students conducted by distinguished female entrepreneurs and executives from various companies nominated by CII.\"
Encouraging and promoting entrepreneurship among students
The Institute also houses a Centre of Excellence which is mainly for entrepreneurship and leadership. A conference called MSME (Micro Small and Medium) conference is organized every year in association with Maharashtra Economic Development Council in order to promote entrepreneurship skills among students. The alumni of the College who have become entrepreneurs share their experiences with the present students about the difficulties and advantages of starting a new company. It also serves as alumni connect. There are also round-table conferences in which students attend a discussion between various entrepreneurs and interact with them. The entire focus of the centre of excellence is on enabling students to become successful entrepreneurs. A vital attribute to implementing the culture of entrepreneurship among students lies in shifting their focus towards research-oriented activities.
The Institute publishes a research journal called ANVESHA in which the articles are written by faculty of popular educational institutions from all parts of the world. The journal is listed on two very popular global databases of journals called EBSCO and ProQuest. This is very useful for students and faculty members to understand the happenings in the field of modern research. Another important feature of this management college is the global exposure that the students get through tie-ups with popular overseas universities such as University of Applied Sciences in North-Western Switzerland. Every year, numerous executive MBA students from this university visit IES Management College for a ten day programme and interact with the management students in the campus. At the end of the tour, the foreign students give presentations on the understanding of the Indian industry by visiting different companies such as Mahindra, Volkswagen-India and Aditya-Birla Group. Hence, it becomes a complete experience of global interaction for students of both the institutes.
IES Management College comprises of a robustly functioning mentorship system in which students are regularly counselled on their strengths and weaknesses, resume building and writing, corporate etiquette, communication skills etc. The Institute also conducts employability improvement workshops, mock interviews and practice group-discussions which help students understand the placement process efficiently. Having a competent placement cell is almost a pre-requisite for any management college. The placement cell of IES Management College is manned with four full-time staff. They get some of the prominent companies on campus during placement season. The average salary package offered to the students is around 5 lakh rupees per annum with the highest package from the previous year being 8 lakh rupees per annum. But, according to Harsolekar, the Institute is still looking to consolidate its position in the education sector. He explains, \"we have numerous plans for expanding our vision into other areas. Our plan is to admit more students in the PGDM Programme every year and establish our Institute firmly in the field of research and innovation.\"
Dinesh D Harsolekar, Director
Dinesh D Harsolekar has over 35 years of industry and academic experience in the field of management education. He holds a post-graduate degree in Accounting and a Ph.D. in Management. In addition to organising training programmes for corporate executives, Harsolekar has written several articles and two books relating to financial accounting and possible changes in the Indian education system. He is on important committees and boards of University of Mumbai and SNDT Women\'s University.
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