IIM-A Plans To Launch Doctoral Programme for Working Executives

Ahmedabad: The Indian Institute of Management - Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is planning to launch a doctoral programme for all the working executives in order to produce high-calibre research.

The proposed doctoral programme namely Fellow Programme in Management Practice, will allow participants to visit the campus for course work at regular intervals, unlike other courses which demand the students stay on campus. IIM-A runs the Fellow Programme in Management (FPM), a four-year, full-time, residential doctoral programme, since 1970, where students spend two years on rigorous course work.

Errol D'Souza, Chairperson, FPM, has said that they cannot scale up the number of students, yet they want high quality research. They have decided to come up with a few initiatives in the institute's golden jubilee year. The FPM for working executives will allow students to come to the campus in the second year for a semester, do course work, go back and later return at frequent intervals. They want research from IIM-A to be high calibre and also of international standard. Besides, the institute has also tied up with three international business schools to allow FPM participants to take up course work in these institutes from this year.

Furthermore, D'Souza has added that the tie-up will enable students to take up courses which they cannot offer there. He also added that they are planning to get the research work evaluated by international faculty this year onwards. So far, the research was being evaluated internally, but now they want the FPM to gain international recognition. As per sources, over 220 FPM students have been awarded doctoral titles by IIM-A so far. The programme provides participants the opportunity to pursue an academic or corporate career with a focus on research.

(Source:timesofindia.indiatimes.com)