News : XLRI aims to forge global B-school alliance - Europe, USA, South America on radar to launch management courses abroad

Jamshedpur, March 9: With a multitude of global deals already in its kitty, city-based XLRI is now on the lookout for foreign universities to set up a world alliance of B-schools.

“We are in the process of identifying about four to five renowned universities and B-schools from across the world with whom we aim to establish a much deeper relationship than all our previous global tie-ups,” said E. Abraham, the director of XLRI.

Once established, the alliance would aim to take up regional level management issues and launch small management development courses in foreign countries, especially in Europe and the US.

The move to reach out globally comes in the wake of XLRI’s recent tie-up with the Philippines-based Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Manila.

“The MoU with AIM opened a floodgate of opportunities for us to set foot in the global market. It was the first of its kind agreement where both parties agreed to work together in areas such as joint research programmes, joint executive development programmes and case studies,” said Abraham.

The tie-up also enabled XLRI to conduct XAT, its official entrance examination, in seven south east Asian countries for the first time.

Abraham was unwilling to disclose the names of the foreign institutions XLRI was looking at to forge its global alliance.

“We are talking to a few, but would ultimately zero in on four to five,” said the director of the B-school.

The overall aim of these tie-ups, said sources in XLRI, is to reach out to a wider population of students.

“Through these alliances we are looking to spread our reach in countries and regions where we do not have a presence,” said P. Venugopal, the dean of academics.

Among places it is looking at are Belgium, Germany, the UK, the US and South America.

XLRI already has tie-ups with several B-schools in South East Asia and Australia.

Only last week, XLRI entered into an alliance with two renowned B-schools of Europe — MoUs were signed with Aston University in Birmingham, UK, and Grenoble University in France.

“These tie-ups will facilitate student-teacher exchange programmes and common research programmes in our journey towards establishing the global network,” added Abraham.

Courtesy:- The Telegraph