IIM Bangalore launches online undergraduate programme on Digital Business and Entrepreneurship
The three-year programme with internship opportunities and practical projects, is set to commence in September
27 May, 2024, Bengaluru: IIM Bangalore has made a foray into undergraduate courses with the launch of a programme on ‘Digital Business and Entrepreneurship’, which will be delivered online by the school’s digital learning initiative IIMBx.
The applications process for the programme will open on 15 June 2024. For more details, please visit: dbe.iimb.ac.in
IIMB will be the first IIM to offer an UG course, the classes for which will commence in September 2024. Prof. Suresh Bhagavatula, senior faculty of the Entrepreneurship area of IIMB, will be the Course Director of the three-year UG programme, which will have internship opportunities and practical projects.
IIM Bangalore, renowned for its educational excellence, courses and initiatives relating to entrepreneurship, and leadership in offering Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), has introduced this BBA programme marking a significant milestone for the institution. It is strategically designed to blend digital technology, business management principles and an entrepreneurial mindset, laying a robust foundation for students aspiring to succeed in the ever evolving and competitive business landscape. The innovative curriculum will provide the skills needed in the digital future.
Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, shared that as an outcome, the programme aims for the students to become entrepreneurs, or join digital enterprises or start-ups and boost their growth, or work in traditional businesses and help in their digital progress. “The programme has been structured in keeping with the education policy, and hence will have a flexible exit policy. The courses will be online and asynchronous; there will be recorded content to make them flexible as students will come from different streams. In terms of entrance, there will be a test. Overall, we will make it as engaging and interactive as possible.”
Vision for India's future, addressing educational challenges and empowering through education
The new programme, aligned to the vision for India's future, will cater to the growth trajectory which necessitates a steady influx of young, innovative graduates who can catalyze progress across corporate enterprises, family businesses, and start-up ecosystems undergoing digital transformation. It will also address the educational challenges relating to providing accessible, industry-oriented, contemporary and quality educational programmes which will help boost India's Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education, democratizing education and making it inclusive.
This course provides a fusion of digital and management fundamentals and an entrepreneurial mindset that will help generate self-motivated, self-learning graduates capable of taking up challenging jobs that industries undergoing digitization require. Today's graduates often need to be trained to be digitally ready, but tomorrow's workforce must be digitally savvy. Through interactive sessions, internship opportunities and practical projects, students will be immersed in a dynamic learning environment that simulates real-world challenges and helps hone vital skills for their future careers.
The BBA in Digital Business and Entrepreneurship will empower students to be not just job seekers, but also innovative entrepreneurs. By fostering a culture of creativity as well as risk-taking and business acumen, the programme will nurture a new generation of leaders equipped to drive change and make a tangible impact in the business realm.
Networking and Collaboration
A cornerstone of the programme involves facilitating student networking opportunities through collaborative projects, local engagements and institutional events. Students can expand their horizons by fostering connections within the digital, business and entrepreneurial spheres, cultivate essential relationships, and unearth pathways to diverse career opportunities.
Why IIMB?
According to the NIRF ranking, IIM Bangalore is one of the top-ranked management institutes in India. The school offers MBA and Executive Education Programmes that are in the top 50 in the world according to global rankings like Financial Times, etc. IIM Bangalore has also been a pioneer in online education. It has been one of the most significant contributors within the management domain on the global MOOC platform edX by offering more than 75 courses that have millions of participants. In addition, the school’s entrepreneurship training programmes, like the Management Programme for Entrepreneurs and Family Businesses, Goldman Sachs 10000 Women, etc., are among the top programmes in the country. IIMB is the coordinating institute for management education for SWAYAM, Government of India.
Prof. Vasanthi Srinivasan, Chairperson, Digital Learning and faculty of the Organizational Behavior & Human Resources Management area of IIMB, explaining the programme structure, said, “In terms of the asynchronous element, we are looking at four components, including faculty videos, assigned readings, ungraded assignments as assessments, and depending upon the course one could have a project or be able to watch interviews of people and look at perspectives that they bring, or it could be working through a simulation. In each course, there are variations in terms of the pedagogy that is innovative, which is around how to action what one learns. Then there are assessments and focus on how much time the learner spent. We are investing sufficiently in the social learning process, hand-in-hand with the academic learning process, to ensure learner satisfaction.”