With 36 years of legacy in the management education, K J Somaiya Institute of Management Studies & Research, Mumbai and popularly known by the students, faculty and alumni as SIMSR, is one of the premier B-Schools in India. However, the institute not only offers state-of-the-art business education of global standards, but also provides a cutting-edge technical education through its Masters in Computer Application (MCA) program. "Technology is the backbone of any business enterprise today and for a management institute it is very important to impart skills that fit in with the requirements of industry," says Dr. Monica Khanna, In-charge Director, KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research.
Information Technology and Management are two interdisciplinary sectors complementing each other in every industry today. Any IT product or a service that gives solution to business processes equally celebrates this interdisciplinary status. Hence, a student if offered either the skills in IT and Management or a mixture of both will have an advantage in their career and the organizations that they will be a part of. On the inclusion of a technology program within the Management Institute, Dr. D .G. Jha, Area Chairperson � IT &Head of MCA - KJ Somaiya Institute of Management Studies and Research opines, "There cannot be better blend, if we can offer technology education with the flair of business insight."
Dr. Khanna adds, "Running a technical program inside the management school is not a challenge, but an opportunity. Since the commencement of MCA program in 2006, we have been in the forefront of providing latest courses in the field of technology."With the help of autonomous status that has been received in 2013-2014 under the University of Mumbai, the institute has been revamping the curriculum with a mixed bag of both technology and application oriented programs, which give a holistic learning experience for students.
While SIMSR's MCA program includes a holistic pedagogy to train students into IT professionals,the institute has obtained an updated syllabus in the subject verticals they offer and also take note of the industry developments and synchronize it into their curriculum. The Institutes Academic Board comprising of professionals from industry as well as Academics provides all the necessary input for up- gradation of curriculum and helps in bringing in pedagogical changes.
As they call their pedagogy "Beyond Academics," the students are able extend their learning even outside the classroom. Along with that, the institute offers numerous value added courses to help students in the areas where they need more exposure to current trends. The value added programs, workshops, art of writing and communication skills training are also provided to make a better interface with the industry for external projects and job opportunities. In addition to that, alumni members of SIMSR mentor the ongoing students, subsequently helping the students with their doubts and queries about job prospects in their area of expertise. The students periodically publish e-zine "TECHGOAL" highlighting the latest trends in IT and completely plan, organize and execute "ICON" techno-cultural festival every year.
The institute promotes research culture through publishing papers, conducting management development programs and attending global IT conferences for students and faculty members. The Information Technology area of the Institute is organizing its 3rd edition IT Global Conference on 25th Feb, 2017 with the theme "Digitization and Automation: Innovate. Disrupt. Transform Society"
SIMSR has seen a continuous improvement in placements over the years. The institute now has a record of 100 percent placements with the highest yearly package in MCA being Rs. 6.25 lakh and an average of Rs. 3.87 lakh per annum. Over 60 organizations visit the campus exclusively for selecting the MCA graduates. This demand for students of SIMSR is credited to the faculty members who work tirelessly to make the future of students worthwhile. With faculty strength of 13 in MCA,who have an average experience of 15 to 16 years in industry/academic - 7 of them having Ph.Ds., the institute is proud to have a well-educated and expert group of professional teachers on the board. Apart from having highest educational qualification in Computer Science and Management, these teachers come from industry, which complements the curriculum.
The field of IT changes rapidly and therefore faculty members are expected to keep pace with the latest trends in the industry, for this they periodically attend faculty development programs to sharpen their technical and teaching skills. The faculty in area of IT actively conduct corporate training programs for the professionals at all levels. Needless to say, the Institutes IT lab and other infrastructure facilities are at place for furthering the academic initiatives.
As far as upgrading their IT ecosystem, SIMSR has plans to establish collaborations worldwide. By enhancing the intellectual capital, the institute looks forward to continue to be one of the best institutes providing management and technology programs in the country. SIMSR is a shining example of how institutes providing higher education evolve bringing a new ray of hope in the education system.
Dr. Monica Khanna, In-charge Director
With a professional experience of four years in the industry and 20 years in academics, Dr. Khanna also has expertise in Brand Management, Marketing Research and Service Marketing. Along with research in her areas of interest, she is passionate about developing case studies based on Indian businesses.
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