We have to chart our own trajectory: Dr Uday Salunkhe

[caption id="attachment_5994" align="alignleft" width="203" caption=" Careers360, November 2016 Issue."][/caption] What are the key challenges that management education face today? The major challenge in the space is the gap between the taught skills and industry requirements. Also, capacity building needs to be scaled up further. It makes the entire exercise of education impactful as it enhances the ability to understand and respond to the challenges on hand within a given framework. It promotes system level thinking. Apart from the core skills, people skills and a balanced mindset is very crucial. Blasting of knowledge silos is crucial. Equally important it is to realise that our businesses/configurations have to be planned around our specifics to be sustainable. Taking ideas and inspiration is different but copy pasting from another ecosystem just won’t add up. Herd mentality is another stumbling block. We have to chart our own trajectory. A thorough knowledge of your ecosystem is very essential. Also, we need to have innovation and incubation labs What are the new trends in management education? It has changed in its orientation. It has become more practical and socially relevant. It believes that modern education should have an active role in solving social challenges and nation building. A number of good social breakthroughs and innovations have emanated from management institutes. With the fast paced technological advances, a new world of opportunities and consequently emerging disciplines have unfolded. It includes e- commerce, data analytics and many more. Even the traditional areas have to be seen in the light of technological advances. Now, technology plays a crucial enabler. Another new trend is of meaningful collaborations. It is pragmatic to have the best of the brains working together on issues warranting attention. Also there is a huge premium on entrepreneurial ventures. This was not the trend a few years before. How do you plan to enrich curriculum and pedagogy in the short-term? With modules on leadership as an essential part of all our programs, our students have been exposed to the ground realities and challenges working on live projects in the corporate world, governance and social sector. We want these to reach a level of impact. Also, we want to scale up relevant innovation. These can be in corporate, governance or social sectors. Pedagogically, we would emphatically incorporate the elements of corporate ethical practices, risk management and governance in the narrative of business education. Apart from this we would like to further intensify the startup culture. Also we seek to inculcate the ability to learn along with versatility in terms of business situations and analytical tools and techniques. It sharpens the ability to make sense of the real environment through immersive study as well through intense analysis of available facts and data. The pedagogy includes a combination of practical work, learning and using a wide variety of tools and techniques, case studies and real-life problem solving. Digital proficiency is the oxygen in modern times. Have you introduced some special courses related to Digital Marketing or Analytics? Digital proficiency has been a quintessential part of our programs. Considering the growing importance of digital marketing, data analytics and social media marketing, the related skills and emerging opportunities, we have introduced two-year full time PGDM programs in Research and Business Analytics as well as Media and Entertainment Management this year.