'Entrepreneurship Is At Core Of All That We Teach At ISME'

BW Businessworld's Brij Pahwa spoke to Indu Shahani, founding Dean, ISME about the institute’s entrepreneurship-led education model.

Excerpts:

Tell us about the BELL philosophy that’s at the core of ISME.
The BELL philosophy represents Business and Entrepreneurial Led Learning. Over the years I observed that the Indian higher education system was more focused on theoretical knowledge and less on practical application in the real world and continued to churn out unemployable graduates. The students lacked the ability to apply their learnings to the challenges of the practical world. BELL is an attempt to bring live examples, case studies, entrepreneurs, and industry to the classrooms with the goal of making students work-ready.

What new does ISME offer to students as far as entrepreneurship-led education is concerned?
Entrepreneurship is at the core of all that we teach at ISME. There is a constant endeavour to create the right ecosystem for entrepreneurial education. ISME is among the first Indian institutes to have become a member of Babson Collaborative, the world’s premier entrepreneurship institute, and to be guided by it in developing its curriculum. We have tied up with Microsoft to power our accelerator which will incubate young entrepreneurs. We are also in the process of establishing a DIY lab that will promote a Makers Club, tinkering labs and other essential support systems for budding entrepreneurs.

Is ISME planning to tie up with global institutions to give its students greater exposure to entrepreneurship education?
ISME’s constant endeavour is to expose its students to global curriculum and teaching methodologies and to create opportunities for them to experience these through world-class curriculum, pedagogy, student exchange programmes and faculty exchange. ISME is in the process of developing strong links through a mentorship model with Babson College, Wharton School, Kellogg’s, London Business School and EDHEC Business School. Deans and faculty and students of these leading schools have visited to guide and mentor ISME. In a short span of three months, visiting faculty from NYU Stern School of Business, Rutgers University and University of East London have taught at ISME. We have also signed an MOU with University of Westminster and University of East London for student and faculty exchanges.

What is ISME’s Rural Immersion Programme?
ISME is committed to sensitising budding managers and entrepreneurs to the challenges and opportunities in the rural areas. The Rural Immersion Programme will be a mandatory component of all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at ISME.

Where do you see ISME in the next five years?
We are hopeful that in the next five years ISME will be recognised as a world-class institution and impart 21st century skills to the young demographics who will impact the world as India moves to become a super power. At ISME, we are attempting to revolutionise education by introducing cross disciplinary education in Design, Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship.