HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE AT A BUSINESS SCHOOL

After going through rigorous preparation and numerous exams, you’re finally accepted to your dream B-school.  Just as you spent plenty of time strategizing how to get admitted into the top management college, the same way it’s time for you to put together a plan to get the most out of your business school experience. The decisions and choices made during this time will impact your future substantially. If you’re wondering how you can prepare for what comes next, we’ve got you covered:

Remember your attributes as a student:

As you interact with your peers, you may realize that some of them are phenomenally accomplished, however, don’t let this intimidate you. Don’t forget that you too were accepted to this class for a reason. The school knows your potential and sees you as an asset, so focus on that.

Make friends with people of all backgrounds:

Most students gravitate towards peers who are from similar backgrounds but instead try interacting with people outside of your comfort zone to further enrich your experience.

Get involved in extra-curricular activities:

To reap the full benefits of the B-school experience, it’s important you get involved with activities outside the classroom. Besides, you will learn as much from these extra-curricular activities as you will from your studies. Additionally, this will also help you in networking with people from various courses.

Take time to explore academic options:

After the PGDM admission, don’t only stick to the conventional classes, explore a few other options, as you may never know what you may discover and like. Attend diverse corporate presentations, choose new subjects or interview with companies you wouldn’t otherwise.

Learn from your summer internships:

You may find many students working full time with their summer internship employer after graduation. If you didn’t have a great experience at your summer internship, remember, it is still worthwhile to have learned from the experience.

Stay connected to your classmates:

Do keep in mind that your classmates form your priceless network. Whether you like them or not, it is important to stay in touch with this professional network.

Always remember that you’re about to embark on a transformative experience, which you would want to take tremendous advantage of. This includes making the most out of the college faculty members to utilizing college resources to the fullest.

How IILM UBS is fostering a Mindset of Entrepreneurial Thinking & Creativity

Entrepreneurial thinking refers to one’s ability to see the world differently and find innovative solutions to a given problem. This is a pre-requisite in the fast-paced business world of today. From budding family business owners to those looking to fuel a startup vision, tomorrow’s businessmen and women must possess the skills required to identify market opportunities and find creative ways to leverage these opportunities.

With a BBA in entrepreneurship, you’ll be exposed to a myriad of experiences that’ll help you develop the skills required to start and manage a business. You will have the chance to explore new learning opportunities, develop your business strengths and overcome your weaknesses. Given the wide variety of responsibilities connected with running a business, the BBA curriculum focuses on holistic learning – from marketing and innovation studies to technical business processes. The end goal is to shape well-rounded entrepreneurs capable of managing and scaling successful businesses.

The central benefit of pursuing an entrepreneurship course at one of the top business schools in India is that you will be equipped with a host of promising career opportunities, including consulting, family business management, startups and corporate jobs. With training in entrepreneurial know-how, not only will you learn how to start a new business from scratch but you will also understand how to restructure, reorganize and expand an existing business. Additionally, greater creativity and problem-solving skills fostered at IILM UBS will give you that much needed push to fuel your startup dream. This is of special importance for students looking to find direction in terms of career goals. Student mentors play a critical role in helping you identify your core point of interest and assess its feasibility in the current market situation. Greater support is provided via Annual Entrepreneurship Conferences and the Entrepreneurship Development Center quarterly innovation weeks.

The 3-year BBA course is designed keeping in mind the special needs of budding business owners, with equal emphasis on imparting practical and theoretical knowledge. With extensive case studies, role-plays etc., you will undergo overall personality development and up-skilling preparing you for jobs in healthcare, retail, service industries, financial services, banking, startups as well as non-profit organisations.

Given the need of the hour, innovation is placed at a high pedestal in our institute. Not only does it create unmatched value for existing family businesses, it is also especially important for setting up a new venture and expanding it. Additionally, entrepreneurial thinking will allow you to stay ahead of others and maintain a leadership edge in the corporate world.

What are the Benefits of Specialised Mentoring?

Young minds are often given to traverse the depths of aspirations and opportunities to find the right path. Even though strong in will and ambitious in actions, the surmounting problem of a future life can be arduous to tackle alone. One then needs assistance from an expert who understands these goals and can guide you towards your calling. In simple words, students need mentors who can help them achieve their maximum potential. At IILM, we assign a dedicated mentor to each student who helps you through the thick and thin of academics, career, and the future. Mentoring sessions are a part of the entrepreneurship courses at the Undergraduate Business School at IILM. Read on to find out the various benefits of specialized mentoring:

Identifying Priorities:

Primarily, you must learn how to get your priorities straight and manage your time accordingly. With social media creating an eternal distraction in the lives of the young guns, our mentors help in determining the amount of time wasted. Subsequently, they urge the students to make practical plans to reduce the wastage of time. Finally, they help in establishing accountability for the plans to ensure growth and the optimum use of time to achieve the goals.

Managing the Financial Aspect:

Most students come to IILM to pursue the bachelor of business administration degree from different walks of life. Regardless of the family background, every student evaluates his/her financial position at some point in their educational career. More often than not, it leads to unwanted and unnecessary stress. The specialized counseling at UBS, IILM aids in exploring the financial worries, identifying wasteful spending, and helping you look for ways to do well post the completion of the course.

Managing Anxiety:

The elaborate curriculum and industry practices required to be mastered by students may lead to anxiety. You may feel like not being able to cope with the studies. Mentors at IILM lend guidance on how to get rid of irrational fears. Additionally, they help you manage your studies better and rearrange your thoughts towards a positive mindset.

De-stressing:

The business world gets the better of everyone every now and then. Therefore, how you handle stress and channelize your worries are essential. Specialised mentoring sessions are organized to avoid the stress from building up to a point where it becomes overwhelming. Regular sessions beyond school hours ensure that the students don’t over-indulge in unnecessary activities. They make sure that you don’t turn towards depression and ruin your life. By simply indicating triggering points and identifying activities and ways to cope with stress, the mentors introduce mindful ways of coping with the problems of the mind.

Moreover, mentors help the families of the pupils to keep a track of their child’s progress. The sessions emphasize ways for pupils to expand their family business, higher education abroad, starting a new business or finding a respectable job to excel in life and make a name for themselves.

BENEFITS OF STUDYING AT IILM UBS

With high-quality academics and impressive study abroad programmes, IILM is ranked amongst the top tier B-schools in the country. It’s been 25 years since the inception of the venerable management institute and through the years, IILM has displayed incessant and consistent efforts to deliver superior quality education to its students. This dedicated commitment has been recognized with a number of accolades that the institute has been honored with year after year. In 2017, EdUniversal ranked IILM as the 11th best business school in India. Keep reading for the IILM BBA course details that set it apart:

Centrally Located Campus:

The central location of the IILM campuses gives students the opportunity to take advantage of the numerous resources and stakeholders available in the vicinity, as well as a chance to network with the influential community present in the national capital. IILM has three strategically located campuses. One campus location at Lodhi Road, the political center of the country, enables students to be aware of the developments in politics as well as business. The second campus in Gurgaon’s Golf Course Road, the industrial hub and nerve center of start-ups, gives students the opportunity to network and learn from established and budding entrepreneurs. The third location in the Knowledge Park of Greater Noida provides a knowledge-sharing platform for the students with universities and large firms located in close proximity.

BBA in Entrepreneurship, undergraduate program

Global Exposure:

The BBA college at IILM offers the Global Study Programme to develop intercultural competence in the students. The Programme includes lectures on Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship, Digital Marketing and Innovation at the partner institutions abroad. The students have the unique opportunity to study at a campus located in North America, Asia or Europe and immerse themselves in the local culture as well as participate in company visits abroad.

Family Business Mentoring:

Many students at IILM either join their family business or start their own business after graduation. At the business school, you are assigned a mentor with whom you have the opportunity to ideate, discuss and incubate your ideas, as well as seek advice for challenges that a family business may face. These mentors are expert faculty members who give students individualized guidance depending on the varied background and interests of the students.

The BBA programme at the institute is quite popular, especially in today’s day and age when the demand for management experts is constantly on the rise. IILM has a vast alumni network of over 9000 students that have been placed in some of the biggest firms in the industry. IILM offers its students numerous benefits and promising future prospects, which is why the institute is the preferred choice for many students.

A Day at IILM Business School

A positive study environment is no less important than a strong curriculum. Finding mentors in your teachers and inspiration in your peers is a sure shot way to succeed and stay ahead in the business world. Keeping up with this ideology, the IILM business school has three beautiful campuses in New Delhi, Gurugram, and Greater Noida respectively. Each campus is designed and maintained with the end-goal to nurture, develop and skill responsible entrepreneurs of the future.

Spending a day in the IILM business school, you’re bound to interact with students hailing from the length and breadth of the country, bringing with them various backgrounds, communities, and ethnicities. This has aided the development of a strong learning environment, brimming with positivity, vibrancy, and diversity. Every interaction is an opportunity to learn about new aspects of varied lifestyles – further pushing the development of well-groomed, all-around individuals, ready to succeed in the corporate world.

top MBA colleges in Delhi

The diverse culture of the campus finds manifestation in Manchtantra – IILM’s Cultural club – formed with the aim to add a holistic feel to PGDM and executive PGDM courses offered by the college. With abundant opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities, students learn the value of cooperation, confidence, and how to work together in teams. This goes a long way in developing important coping mechanisms required for facing challenging situations and tough circumstances. Life at IILM is marked with innumerable chances to embrace your creativity and celebrate your cultural values. By being involved in the organization and execution of various events, you get to learn management lessons while enjoying a fair share of fun.

The zeal for innovation and creativity is furthered through the incubation center. IILM students have access to iLabs, a platform to develop unique ideas and give them wings. The college premise offers the infrastructure to start up with an office space, followed by interactions with potential investors and venture capitalists for guidance and finance possibilities. This is in line with the larger goal to promote holistic development and real-world training for students of pg diploma in management and executive PGDM.

The location of all three campuses has been strategically planned to ensure that students are safe, secure and have easy access to important sites. The Lodhi Road campus is situated in the heart of South Delhi, with so many exciting things to do nearby. The Gurugram campus is in the hub of NCR’s industrial center, lined with all-important corporate offices and startups. The Greater Noida Campus, located in Knowledge Park allows great opportunities for interacting and networking with like-minded, industry individuals. IILM Business schools in Gurugram and Noida also provide hostel facilities, creating a friendly environment where students can work and learn together every day.

All in all, a day at IILM Business School is enriched with a host of exciting experiences. From interactive classes and cultural activities to the incubation center and hostel facilities, every corner of the campus has something inspiring to offer.

Smart Cities, The Future of Sustainable Infrastructure: PRME 2018, IILM

After a highly educational first session on the 2nd Day of the PRME Conference at the IILM campus in Lodhi Road, it was time to dig deeper into the issues plaguing sustainable development, resolution of which could accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. One of the major issues that needed to be addressed before implementing educational reforms was sustainable infrastructure, an aspect often overlooked in the scheme of things. Coordinated by Prof. Anirudh Luthra, the speaker panel of the session on Infrastructure Through The Lens Of Sustainability consisted of stellar personalities bringing in immense knowledge and experience for the eager young audience from top MBA colleges in Delhi.

Grow Smart, Be Smart:

Colonel Prakash Tewari, Executive Director at CSR wing of DLF Foundation, took the stage to shed some light on practices and knowledge needed to grow ethically and responsibly with sustainable infrastructure. He took the enraptured audience through the journey of building a smart city by elaborating on the evolution of Gurugram with DLF, rising from a barren land to a hub of housing offices of major Fortune 500 countries and contributing 3% to India’s total GDP. He also acknowledged that every resolution needs to be well-informed, after considering social, ecological, economic, and political factors that can be impacted by the resolution.

Needed Focus on Resource Longevity:

The second speaker for the session was Mr. Pranshu Gupta from Accenture Strategy India, who led an interactive session with the audience on their perception of Sustainable Infrastructure. He emphasized on the resource longevity as one of the core aspects of sustainable infrastructure that needs more focus. He illustrated his concern with the concept of Day Zero, a condition affecting Cape Town on a large scale. With 60% of India’s population posed to reside in cities by 2030, huge pressure on natural resources is anticipated. Such incidents, he said, would slowly snowball into the much-feared 2 centigrade worldwide temperature rise. Grim realities of global warming were also brought to the forefront, indicating that starting and implementing changes for sustainable development at the earliest was extremely critical. Mr. Gupta then proceeded to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with building smart cities – from ecological to financial as well as legal, along with the execution that plays a big role in determining the success of sustainable infrastructure development.

Benchmark & Performance Metrics much needed:

The final speaker of the session was Mr. Ajay Tyagi, Managing Partner, Lex Terrae who held a conversation with the audience and other speakers about maintaining a uniform standard and accountability for building every smart city unit across the country. He highlighted the importance of indulging in critical analysis of the solution before the actual execution of the tasks. Mr. Tewari elucidated with a real-life example of canal-building in the desert area of Rajasthan that eventually led to much-bigger ecological problems, thereby emphasizing the need for a thorough evaluation considering everything that could be affected by the move.

During the Q&A session that followed, the impact on and contribution to rural areas was brought to the surface where the speakers highlighted the effective and very often ingenious solutions the rural folks had for sustainable infrastructure around them. This affirmed their views that drawing knowledge from the local population can be extremely beneficial in creating solutions that can be applicable everywhere. The extremely enlightening session ended with a thunderous round of applause, all students from top MBA colleges in India invigorated and knowledgeable about the huge potential that came with building sustainable infrastructure to save the future.

Education and Its Impact on Sustainable Development: PRME 2018

Education has for long been acknowledged as a pillar to support and enhance sustainable development. On Day 2 of the PRME Conference at IILM, one of the top MBA colleges in India, education and its role in pursuing SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) took center-stage in the first session of the day. During the session on Laying The Foundation: Alignment Of Management Education With Sustainability, the support of education was discussed and evaluated by the esteemed panel of speakers who shared their insights with respect to the institutions and organisations they represented. The session was moderated by Dr. Shuchi Agarwal.

Moderation of consumption with education:

Mr. Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College, University of Delhi, brought to light principles by Mahatma Gandhi that was extremely relevant in today’s world struggling with sustainable practices. Quoting the Mahatma’s famous saying ‘there is enough on Earth for everybody’s need, but not enough for everybody’s greed’, Mr. Sinha emphasized on moderation of consumption to ensure sustainability. He also brought forward the importance of education and its accessibility that could raise awareness on efficient applications to reduce consumption and support sustainable development.

Of making judicious choices:

The next speaker on the dais was Mr. John Verghese, Principal of St. Stephen’s College, the University of Delhi, who supported Mr. Sinha’s views on education and its accessibility. He further elaborated on the empowerment that comes with education, saying his point by citing the example of a hungry soul who would be in better control of the future when taught how to fish to feed self, rather than being provided with fish to feed self. A sound, well-informed education not only enables one to think of the best ways to respond to a situation but also how to execute the same, keeping in mind all socio-economic-political conditions.

How blockchain can change the game:

Mr. Siddharth Sibal, VP, Accenture, brought in his rich corporate experience to introduce how innovation is the key to sustainable development. He shared valuable insights from his travels and knowledge and encapsulated with how countries such as Russia, Costa Rica, China, are tackling development with improved digital technology. Mr. Sibal also addressed the exploding popularity of blockchain technology, and how it was becoming the base for decentralization. “The applications of blockchain in each and every field they can be implemented to can yield fantastic results for sustainable practices,” he said. He exemplified his point with SolarCoin, a direct application of the technology as the form of cryptocurrency developed to support global solar electricity generation. The peer-to-peer controlled system has been effective in distributing energy from ones who are producing excess energy with solar panels, to those who need more energy.

The speaker session concluded with a Q&A session where the enthusiastic attendees interacted with the speakers on their own possible roles in sustainable development. On being asked what kind of managers from MBA colleges can lead the movement for sustainability, Mr. Sibal replied, “The ones who think out of the box and have the passion to create. Only those with a hunger to create can innovate ethically and responsibly. And nothing less is the need of the hour for sustainable development.”

PRME 2018: Session on ‘Sustainability Practices & Quality Education’ at a Glance

On Day 2, while the first session of the 5th International Conference at IILM, one of the top MBA colleges in Delhi, was focused on policies and reforms to make education truly sustainable, the last one on ‘Sustainability Practices & Quality Education’ emphasized more on the implementation of the same.

In line with UN’s Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative that ties up leading business schools to the idea of imparting education that shapes responsible business leaders of tomorrow, the session explored the creation of such leadership within business colleges in detail. Many excited students took a cursory break from their MBA courses to attend this session.

Coordinated by Prof Rajkishan Nair, and supported by Prof Sanchita Ghosh, the session began with a talk by Dr. Onyebuchi Felix Offodile, Department Chair – Professor Department of Management and Information Systems, Kent State University, USA. In his insightful dialogue with the audience, Dr. Offodile emphasized on the necessity of educating school children on sustainability practices because they are the ones who will inherit the world from our generation. Since the future generations are already sensitized to technology and innovation, inculcating ideals of sustainable development becomes very easy. His presentation informed the audience in detail about the concept of sustainability, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, why shunning technology is not the answer to rising environmental degradation, and how collaborative strategies by governments, societies, and corporates help us restore our planet to a healthy state.

Session on ‘Sustainability Practices

“The whole essence of sustainability is encapsulated in the question of how do we leave the earth better than when we inherited it. The answer to it lies in the education of young children,” remarked Dr. Offodile.

The next speaker was Ms. Dilreen Kaur, Director, Ritinjali, who revitalised the audience with a quick activity of creating noises by rubbing palms and snapping fingers. Later on, she displayed the success stories from her non-profit organisation which provides a helping hand to marginalised individuals and societies in the form of schooling, education and skill development. The crux of her talk revolved around the fact that equal and quality education for everyone is an important step towards achieving sustainability.

“Ritinjali ensures that responsible citizens are created from the most impoverished and disadvantaged societies so that they give back to their community and to the environment in general. This aligns us with UN’s Sustainability Development Goal 4 of quality education for all,” stated Ms. Dilreen.

The third speaker in the line-up was Dr. Nidhi Sirpan, Associate VP, Public Sector Business, Smart Class Educational Services. In a nutshell, she talked about two vital parameters in quality education: conceptualization and objectification, and also shared her experiences in the field with the audience. She also spoke of the intricate connection between employability of graduates, creating more jobs, providing necessary training programs to corporates, and sustainability.

“How we, as corporates, can look back to and derive benefits from academia to give back to the society is important for sustainability,” Dr. Nidhi concluded.

The session was concluded by Dr. Rania Mohy El-Din Nafie, Professor, School of International Business Management, Seneca College, Canada who highlighted important practices for innovation in education and also spoke about the role of organizational behavior in sustainable development. Her address postulated that in order to have innovation in sustainable education, there is a need for knowledge-sharing amongst various stakeholders like employees, teachers, students, parents, and industry experts.

“We have to start thinking of the educational institutions as an organization that is an ecosystem that thinks, learns, and has to innovate in order to remain competitive and sustainable,” professed Dr. Rania.

Thereafter, there was a round of questions for the panel followed by a round of applause for all the brilliant ideas on what the education sector needs to do in order to achieve sustainable development goals successfully.

4 Things I Learned at PRME 2018 Session on Impactful Innovations for Sustainable Development

For three eventful days, IILM, one of the best MBA colleges in India, was buzzing with the 5th International Conference on Resolution to Resolve: Sustainability Practices in Industry and Education. And what a spectacular learning experience it turned out to be.

Amongst its many plenary sessions, the most awaited one was on Innovation and Sustainable Competitive Advantage that was pegged for post-lunch on Day 2. The agenda revolved around expanding the scope of innovation to include not only creating something entirely new but coming up with novel ideas to solve existing problems in the society. Over 90 minutes, four experts shared their experience and their respective organization’s impactful innovations bringing about a positive sustainable change.

Here are the four lessons I learned after attending the same:

MBA colleges in India

Management and education are two different languages:

In her talk, Dr. Shalini Lal focused upon the challenge of understanding innovation at management institutions, and integrating it at every level with purpose. Dr. Lal also differentiated the two languages of management and education on various points, such as failure, which is often viewed negatively in management, while being conversely true in innovation labs.

“There need to be enough people at the highest levels of an organization who understand and are able to speak the language of innovation for them to be able to see potential in ideas that get generated,” she remarked.

Block-chain technology is the next big thing in sustainable development:

Mr. Ravi Chamria, CEO, Block Chain Enthusiast and Fintech Expert, was the next speaker in the session who enlightened the audience on the history of block-chain technology and Bitcoin, its components, and how his organization has used it as a game-changer for sustainable innovation in fields such as food supply chains and mining.

Commenting on the complete transparency and sustainability of a blockchain process in businesses, Mr. Chamria said, “Through a smart contract on the blockchain, it is ensured that whatever has been authorized through a sustainability certificate, it is being adhered to.”

The purpose of every business should be innovation

 Next, Mr. Ravi Bhatnagar, Head External Affairs & Partnerships, Reckitt Benckiser, spoke about the various collaborations of his firm with the UN and its Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the various innovations that the company has introduced, like the Rexbot AI for queries on sexual health or Augmented Reality for delivering education. Another interesting topic which he touched upon was the need to encourage B-school and PGDM students to come up with innovations of their own, something which Reckitt Benckiser’s Mavericks Challenge does by creating an innovation pipeline and platform for the brightest management minds of the country.

“If we are not purpose-led, and if we are not thinking about innovation and sustainable competitive advantage, there are good chances of failure. The purpose should come before business. If you are not investing in the future, which is the next 10 years, in terms of your consumers, it will be too late,” he concluded.

Sustainable development from the perspective of work-life balance:

The final speaker at the session was Prof Holger Briel, Dean, Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool University, China, who discussed the concepts of co-living and co-working spaces and read his paper on the findings of both practices in Europe and India. Interestingly, Prof Briel was not an endorser of the practices as he called for inclusion of employee happiness as an important factor in the sustainability of businesses and organizations. Towards the end, he gave three recommendations at a personal, organizational and government level that can enable organizations and individuals to create perfect work-life balance.

To sum up, the future of management and organizations is intricately tied to innovation which takes into account sustainable development goals set by the UN. For aspiring students of business, this was a great lesson in the importance of sustainability and the need to think out of the box.

Why is Delhi-NCR a Preferred Choice for Business Schools

For a first time visitor the national capital can be a nexus of mayhem and confusion, but once you to become a part of the daily hustle and bustle, you’ll soon be swept up into the excitement that makes the city of Delhi. The multicultural city with its ancient monuments, veritable museums, and delectable local cuisine is also a student hub, with many business school aspirants flocking to the city in large numbers to chase their dreams.

Many such aspirants choose to study at our institutes that offer competitive PGDM programs in the city that is the center of activity. IILM has three strategically located campuses. One of the campuses located at Lodhi Road, the political center of the country, allows students to be privy to the developments in politics as well as business. The second campus in Gurgaon’s Golf Course Road, the industrial hub and nerve center of start-ups, gives students the opportunity to gain entrepreneurship knowledge from their surroundings. The third location in the Knowledge Park of Greater Noida provides a networking and knowledge-sharing platform for the students with educational institutes and large firms located in close proximity. Below, we’ve listed out a few more reasons one should consider studying in the national capital.

MBA in Noida, PGDM colleges in Delhi-NCR

Industry-based learning:

A student pursuing an MBA in Noida has the advantage of studying in the National Capital Region, which over the years has transformed into a talent pool where several multinational companies have set up a branch. IILM truly takes advantage of this by making an experiential curriculum available to the students. This type of curriculum is put together after close interaction and inputs from the industry leaders, thereby going beyond the traditional teachings limited to Finance, Marketing and Operations.

International Curriculum:

Today, PGDM colleges in Delhi-NCR provide the world-class education to its students. The curriculum of these colleges is comparable to that of top business schools the world over. For instance, at IILM, the course modules are inspired by the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton Business School, and IIM-A.

Future prospects:

As the region is home to an increasing number of multinational companies, the demand for management experts is ubiquitous and firms are always on the hunt for such management graduates. IILM’s Career Development Center sets the path for students’ future by connecting them to the right firm. Furthermore, the placement cell is also well connected to different sectors of the industry, widening the scope of opportunities. Today, IILM has an alumni network of over 9000 students who have been placed in some of the biggest firms in the industry.

Clearly, the central location of the region proffers numerous benefits to students, giving them an edge. More importantly, it is the attributes such as industry-based learning, international curriculum and future prospects that make IILM a preferred choice for discerning business school aspirants.