IILM’s Virtual Model UN Youth Conference 2020

The Department of International studies along with the Schools of Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, and Management organized the IILM Model United Nations Youth Conference from 25th – 30th Aug 2020. Students were required to conduct research and analysis representing the government of a country on matters of Foreign Policy, Sustainability, and Climate Change. Attending a simulation of this magnitude, made our students gain valuable insight into the proceedings of the United Nations and understand global perspectives to solve exigent global issues, thus nurture future change-makers and leaders.

 The MUN was divided into two projects(UNEP & UNDP) respectively.

In the times when the concept of sustainable development has gained so much weight-age with the depletion of resources the MUN was an en-devour by the young voices to understand the importance of a future that they so strongly behold.

The entire event was covered by the International Press which comprised of students from the course of Bachelors in Media and Journalism:  Mahek Amlani and Anoushka Chopra,Amrita kaur,Kamakhshi Narain
Kaushal Nassa,Siddhant Sharma,Sidhak Kalra. (The Link to the Newsletter Compilation IILMUN’20)

Liberal Arts Education: Door to Creativity, Happiness and Bright Future

Liberal Arts Education has become a buzz word in India from past couple of years. More and more parents and students are inquisitive about it and also showing positive inclination towards the same. Liberal world holds its origin in a roman word ‘liberalis’ which means freedom, hence, simply freedom to pursue the choice of discipline can be called as liberal arts. The term liberal arts originated in Europe however it was American Universities which make the concept not only popular but also successful. In fact, the liberal education brought many American Universities in limelight and on top spot in world university rankings. The Indian higher education was focused on Job driven unidirectional studies where focus was on ‘what to learn’ than ‘how to learn’. However, thanks to the fast changing world dynamics and need of multi facet skills, this trend is changing and driving Indian Higher Education system to embrace liberal arts education with arms wide open.

Is liberal Education new to India?

Before answering the question lets understand Liberal Arts Education. In the words of John Henry Newman, “The purpose of a Liberal Arts education is to open the mind, correct it, to refine it, to enable it to know and to digest, master, rule, and use its knowledge, to give its power over its own faculties, application, flexibility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, resource, address, and eloquent expression”.

If we read the above expression in depth then we understand that Liberal arts education had wide presence in ancient Indian universities like Nalanda and Takshila. Students studying in these esteemed Universities were imparted simultaneously knowledge in the field of grammar, philosophy, ayurveda, surgery, politics, warfare, astronomy, commerce, music, dance, and much more. The students were taught right blend of skills and subjects which were important to contribute in civic life.

Despite having strong educational past; during colonial era India was forced to adopt fixed curriculum model set up by British Education System. Also the greedy aspirations for professional degrees liberal education took back seat from main stream academia.

The Changing Paradigm

There is a pressing need for people to learn and enhance their creativity along with analytical skills and be a path finder in rapidly changing environment. The fast paced technological transformations and disruptions and challenges of degrading physical and social environment put forth the demand for leaders and scholars with deep sense of imagination, analytics and creativity.

Liberal arts education broadens the minds and understands the scenarios from diverse perspectives rather than being a conservative. It lights up the intellectual curiosity which fosters knowledge creation in subjects ranging from arts and humanities, social sciences to the natural and applied sciences.  Liberal education inculcates problem solving and critical analysis skills which are much desirable in corporate world as well as in daily civic life. A sufficient emphasis on liberal arts education help us to tackle practical problems of this century and also provide our current and future generations a chance of freedom of knowledge and a way of living happy.

Who are making efforts?

Since 2015 Indian government decided to invest more in research universities, in social sciences and liberal education so that world ranking of Indian Universities can improve. Taking the initiative of the government forward private universities took charge to address the challenge and creating inter-disciplinary curriculum which are globally bench marked. However, very few have moved in this direction. IILM University situated in the heart of corporate Gurugram is centering interest in Liberal Arts education and aiming at inter-disciplinary education. IILM University has created the curriculum focusing on technology, psychology, business, design, communication skills, critical thinking and academic writing. The best part is, these courses are well aligned to the demand of the market. The extensive major and minor combinations open multiple career options. In all, liberal education not only shape career of the students but also creates informed and happy citizens.

IILM UBS – ENGAGING STUDENTS IN LEARNING

IILM UBS aims to create a learning environment that is active, collaborative as well as one that cultivates ‘learning relationships’, wherein learning takes place amongst peer groups, allowing students to actively engage and develop crucial social skills. Moreover, these educational experiences enhance the academic abilities of the students, as they are not limited to assignments and tests.

IILM UBS gives students several opportunities to engage in learning through the following initiatives:

Innovation Weeks:

These weeks are designed to strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit of students and nurture their creative abilities. This is achieved through multiple sessions conducted by eminent entrepreneurs, field visits as well as live projects. The themes for these sessions range from social entrepreneurship to starting-up.

Entrepreneurship Development Centre:

Inspired by the belief that entrepreneurs are not always born but can also be created, IILM formed the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) with an aim to create an entrepreneurial mindset in students. The students of the BBA in Family Business program along with the other IILM UBS courses can greatly benefit from the center as it performs a strong platform for budding entrepreneurs to ideate, validate and develop their innovative ideas.

PGDM college in Delhi NCR

From learning to prepare and presenting a business plan to understanding the legal aspects of opening a start-up, the supportive atmosphere at the EDC helps students move a step closer towards the realization of their dreams.

Events:

Numerous contests and activities are organized throughout the year to build a healthy environment and develop the various facets of the dynamic students at IILM. These activities include blood donation camps and donation drives; painting and poster making contests, as well as football matches, are organized to allow students to discover their passions and strengths. Business-related activities include the stock trading contests and group discussions on relevant pressing issues in the industry.

The BBA in Entrepreneurship program, as well as the other programs offered at the Institute, aim to provide students with a holistic experience at IILM so that they walk out of the institute as well-rounded individuals.

Finally, students are challenged to reflect, question, conjecture and evaluate, thereby encouraging them to think beyond the classroom.

After all, a multidimensional, socially responsible citizen is developed out of a student who is actively involved in academics as well as extra-curricular activities.

Active Learning: Innovative Teaching Methods of IILM UBS

The very essence of education lies in the evolution of teaching methods to incorporate meaningful learning. By meaningful learning, we mean education that caters to solving real-world problems. If IILM UBS has the tag of being one of the best business schools in India, then a lot of it is down to the innovative and relevant teaching methods that nurture hundreds of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders every year.

The integrated and experiential learning-based curriculum with a focus on global teaching methodologies is what sets IILM UBS apart from other BBA colleges. At a deeper level, IILM UBS understands that education lies much beyond simply books. The mantra that is followed by mentors and teachers is simple:

‘Preach and they forget; show and they might remember; involve and they will understand.’

Real-world case studies, simulations, and projects:

At IILM UBS, case studies are an integral part of the pedagogy. Through real-world case studies sourced from reputed organizations, students are encouraged to develop new perspectives and ideas in order to stimulate innovative and out-of-the-box thinking. Simulations provide students a chance to step into the shoes of real-life entrepreneurs and solve actual management problems, allowing students the perfect platform to utilize their concepts and learning. Through group discussions, students learn through feedback and benefit from shared learning.

Guest lectures and seminars by foreign faculty:

IILM UBS brings global experience, knowledge, and expertise through extended guest lectures which also include renowned foreign faculties. Live case studies, seminars, and interactions with successful entrepreneurs enable students to learn from vital experiences and discover their source of entrepreneurial inspiration. Students are also encouraged to take up group projects and develop ground-breaking business plans, thus learning teamwork as a crucial skill.

Guest lectures and seminars by foreign faculty

Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDCs):

If you have taken a BBA admission at IILM UBS with an entrepreneurial idea in mind, then rest assured that the Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) will help you scale the idea right from inception to development. This is where experiential learning comes into play – if you’re into BBA to be an entrepreneur, why not begin the journey in college? EDC helps students realize their start-up dreams by workshops, and discussions provide students with invaluable networking opportunities, exposure to the start-up ecosystem, entrepreneurial mindset development training, leadership training, and so much more.

 Global Study Programme:

Education nowadays means going global, developing inter-cultural competencies, experiencing international learning, and understanding the global market. This is where IILM UBS’ Global Study Programme comes in handy as it provides students with two weeks of exposure at partner institutions and universities in Europe, Asia or North America after the completion of every year.

Such innovative learning methods paired with specialized mentoring, excellent internship opportunities and world-class infrastructure help nurture the best entrepreneurs of tomorrow at IILM UBS.

Family Business Expansion: BBA Degree Overview

In an economy as booming as India’s, a lot has been attributed to the rise of entrepreneurship in the country. Be it your small-scale businesses to large MNCs, everyone has played their role. Family businesses too are extremely popular in India, with many young ones aspiring to join the same when they complete their education. A BBA degree may just be the boost they need.

BBA at IILM UBS is about making the most of that degree to contribute your family business’ expansion in multiple ways. A look at the BBA course details will tell you how the course is designed to introduce multiple disciplines to a person and help them identify their forte. The holistic approach to business education at the college can help you nail your role as the next leader of your business.

Delving into the know-how:

A BBA introduces you to the various aspects of the business. From understanding strategy to marketing, financial and legal knowledge, this degree forms the perfect stepping stone into understanding how your market works. Well-equipped with the basics of every field, you are more in command of your next step. It helps you understand how the sync between two different segments of your business can affect your top line business goals.

Widening your scope of thinking:

Among the best advantages of studying at one of the top 10 business schools in India are the exposure to a good faculty and high-quality peers with goals similar to yours. Interacting with a diverse set of people exposes you to different viewpoints of approaching anything. You get an insight into their worlds and it also helps you understand how they think and feel; this can help you sharpen your interpersonal skills.

Nurturing your strengths:

Every person comes with their own soft-skill sets which are honed in the baccalaureate years.  While you can gain knowledge of everything that governs how a company functions, you’ll be able to identify which fields have your core interest – be it logistics, marketing, finance, strategy, product or more. You can concentrate and build on that knowledge, and even specialize in it. The support you get from peers as you develop is going to be phenomenal making you more confident when you step into your family’s venture.

Staying tuned to the latest trends:

Every business needs to adapt to the changing times and trends that are more dynamic than they ever were before. A degree such as a BBA keeps you updated with the latest tools and marketing mediums, enables you to think beyond the traditional business intelligence, and makes you confident in predicting trends. This can, in turn, assist you in making changes to your business that ensures its strong standing in the market.

BBA degree empowers you with a strong foundation in business knowledge and equips you with soft skills that make you fit in easily in a family-run business. Step into IILM UBS to stand out as a leader for tomorrow.

What’s it like to Pursue BBA in Entrepreneurship at IILM

We’ve heard multiple opinions about India’s school education system. Some of them in support while most of them contain flak. However, the truth of the matter remains that majority of the children passing 12th focus only on passing it. Once that hurdle has overcome the need for an academic to help aspiring entrepreneurs is realized. To fill this we at Undergraduate Business School (UBS) designed ‘BBA in Entrepreneurship’, a 3-year course providing the knowledge base to students to establish and run their own business ventures.

The components of the designed undergraduate program focus on a planned approach to education and career. There are various other extracurricular activities apart from academics that develop the students’ potential and skills to kick-start their entrepreneurial journey.

These are:

Industry visits:

Classroom teaching is very important. But it’s the industrial visits where students get greater clarity. The concepts taught in class are practically put to use and experienced here. It provides hands-on experience and direct insight into how the industry functions. It also provides an atmosphere for interactive learning. Their interpersonal and communication skills are tested in a real-life environment. Most importantly, it helps them notice the various roles and shortlist the ones they can envision themselves into. Regular industry visits at IILM expose the students to various work cultures and help broaden their outlook.

BBA in Entrepreneurship, bba course

Guest lectures:

The growth of competitions across the industries, volatile business activities, the dependence of the economy on the government policies and several other interwoven factors make way for guest lectures. These speakers are especially invited for enlightening students with the wide experience they’ve had in the industry. They are either from other universities or are professionals managing the above-mentioned concerns and making concerned decisions on a day-to-day basis. Their insights and in-depth knowledge enhance the student’s overall educational experience. It helps them build the greater connection with the field they want to work in.

Live projects:

Gone are the days where students’ capabilities were measured on the basis of memorizing facts. 21st-century skills include quick problem-solving and applying what you learn in the classroom. Live projects enhance these skills. Students are asked to either intern or participate in one or the other capacity in a project that is currently in operation by a company. They find themselves being a part of something much bigger than their classroom. It helps them take responsibility and make decisions in an environment where one wrong step of theirs can jeopardize the growth of the project. Students benefit incredibly and get an opportunity to sharpen their professional skills. They also establish great relationships with professionals in the industry.

These are the various extracurricular activities that make students at UBS stand out.

Google Headquarter Visit in Toronto, Canada

On August 16, the IILM UBS Batch 3 of BBA in Entrepreneurship (2016-19) traveled to the world’s second most business-competitive global city, the home of the Toronto Maple Leaves, and tourist attraction CN Tower. Students spent the weekend visiting some of the most reputable companies in the world and participating in a community service project. The evening began with an introduction to Google’s mission and values, and a tour of Google Toronto’s new offices. Google’s two key workplace values are healthy lifestyles and environmental friendliness, said a Google representative, which was evident in the design of the office: from the polished concrete floors to the inexpensive timber stand walling to the galvanized steel wall frames, and reclaimed seats from the old Montreal Forum.

Meeting rooms were named after cities and parks in Eastern and Western Canada, with a shower room (for employees needing to shower after bicycling to work) named “Niagara Falls.” Google has also partnered with Bullfrog for its energy needs in order to create a net zero carbon footprints, the girls were told.

The trip brought together a diverse group of individuals, both within the Seneca College and at the companies they visited. Students spoke with knowledgeable professionals from these global businesses, toured the facilities, and learned firsthand it’s like to work for a global professional services firm. Later the students were given a chance to ask numerous questions regarding “How Digital Marketing can help their Business grow”. A pizza supper and a presentation on Google’s products concluded the evening.

Learning Outcome: The students were able to relate the concepts learnt in the classroom. They learnt about the various strategies adopted by Google. This visit was a part of the module Strategic Management. A pre and post briefing reinforced the concepts delivered.

Feedback: Well appreciated by the students.

Review of Mergers and Acquisitions deals in 2016-17: A record year for India

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are considered to be one of the most important ways to expand the business inorganically and respond to the changing market conditions. The wave of M&A activities is not new across the globe and India. The last financial year 2016-17 was a record breaking period for M&A deals in India. The monetary worth of M&A transactions increased from $27.62 billion (2015-16) to $61.26 billion (2016-17). The reason of increase in the volume of M&A deals is the consolidation of various sectors such as telecom, energy & cement and increasing interest of Foreign Instutional Investors (FIIs) in the Emerging Indian market.

Source: Livemint

Graph 1: Representing deal value ($ billion) and no. of deals of M&A in India

The consolidation wave of merger in the cement industry included large players focusing towards building of capacity and bringing in synergies through the acquisition route. Some of the most strategic deals included acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates’ Cement Plants in five states and a grinding unit by Ultra Tech (owned by Aditya Birla Group) for $2.41 billion, Lafarge India’s 11 million tonne (mt) cement business acquisition by Nirma for $1.4 billion and ADAG Group’s cement capacity acquisition by Birla Corp’s (MP Birla Group) for $710 million.  This consolidation wave has led to concentration of 58 percent of market share in the hands of top five industry players.

Another most prominent consolidation wave has been witnessed in telecommunication sector. Idea Cellular led by Kumar Mangalam Birla agreed to merge with the Indian subsidiary of Vodafone (U.K. Telecom Company) for $23 billion to form largest telecommunication company of India. This merger will have a capacity to serve approximately 400 million clients by capturing 41% market revenue and 35% customer base.  Post the announcement of Vodafone and Idea merger, other telecom giants like Airtel and Reliance Communications (Rcom) also announced various mergers and acquisitions. In 2016, Rcom acquired Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd. (SSLT) operating under MTS brand which added approximately 6 million customer base. In 2017, Rcom announced its merger with Aircel which will lead to increase in its customer base by 81 million approximately. In 2017, Telenor’s Indian group was acquired by Bharti Airtel. Telenor is a Norwegian government entity operating in India since 2009. The major reason behind this telecom consolidation wave included spectrum gain; 4G Edge; increase in subscriber base; footprint in densely populated areas such as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, UP and Assam; and lastly to gain edge over competitors.

Other top ten acquisition deals in India includes Appirio acquisition by Wipro for $500 million, Geometric Limited acquisition by HCL Technologies for $200 million, Cutrus Payment Solutions acquisition by PayU for $130 million, Jabong.com acquisition by Flipkart owned Myntra for $70 million, The BIO Agency acquisition by Tech Mahindra for £45 million, Babyoye.com acquisition by Firstcry for ₹3.6 billion, Caratlane acquisition by Titan Company Limited for approximately ₹3.5 billion, Happy Creative Services acquisition by Dentsu Aegis Network for $44 million, Ocular Technologies Sarl acquisition by Sun Pharma for $40 million and Forever 21 India acquisition by Pantaloons for $26 million.

The wave of consolidation among various sectors in India can be viewed as a catalyst for expontential and linear growth. M&A have become the integral part of the economies across the globe and will continue to trend, as inorganic growth is considered to be fastest and safest mode to grow the business. Furthermore, it becomes inevitable to grow business organically in the current era of volatility.

Inter School English Debate – organized by Banyan Tree School

As part of the ‘Gender Sensitivity’ Week at Banyan Tree School, Lodhi Road, New Delhi an Inter-School English Debate (IX-XII) for schools in Delhi and NCR was organized on Saturday, the 19th of December, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. onward. A total of eight schools participated in the competition.  Each team consisted of two participants. The first speaker spoke for the motion. The second speaker spoke against the motion. Each team was accompanied by 4 students to cheer him/her and one teacher. The team from Tagore International School, East of Kailash bagged the first position. The team from the Pinnacle School, Panchsheel Enclave was declared the first runner-up. The Best Speaker-for the motion was also from The Pinnacle School. The Best Speaker-against the motion was from Gurukul The School, Ghaziabad. The event was sponsored by IILM, Lodhi Road, New Delhi.

The jury comprised of eminent academicians like Dr.Ajanta Dutt, Ms. Nandini Guha, Dr.Mridula Anand Tandon and Mr.Rahul Mishra. Dr Ajanta Dutt received her doctorate from Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey, USA where she studied the novels of 20th Century Indian English writers. She taught for a while in Rutgers and wrote a book called Landscapes and Languages for the writing programme of the university. After her return to India, she wrote a book on Tagore’s novel, ‘Home and the World’ and an annotated textbook on the poems of Pablo Neruda, Derek Walcott and Margaret Atwood which are taught in the English honours programme of Delhi University. Dr. Dutt teaches English at Deshbandhu College, Delhi University. She is also on the editorial board of a bilingual magazine, Hindol which is published every quarter from Delhi.  Ms. Nandini Guha is an Associate Professor of English at Delhi University, with over 25 years of teaching experience. She is an Alumnus of Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi and Carmel Convent School. She is also an award winning translator from Bangla to English. Her translations have been published by Katha  ,Zubaan,Harvard University Press, Social Science Press etc. Dr. Mridula Anand Tandon  received her MBBS degree from the University of Pune. She has worked for Poverty Alleviation through Girl Child Upliftment and Women’s Empowerment for over twenty years. She has initiated numerous other programmes for the cause of women. Dr. Tandon is also a long-time worker in gender-based social issues,helping organizations prevent sexual harassment and most recently, addressing women’s safety in communities through the “Avaaz Uthao” project with the Government of Delhi. She also personally sponsors the education of girl children from low-income families. Saakshi an NGO, is ably helmed by Dr.Tandon. Mr. Rahul K. Mishra has 18 years of work experience in teaching ,training ,academic and corporate administration. He did his Masters in International Business from the University of Delhi. He teaches courses on International Business  Strategy and Entrepreneurship. He is currently the Director, Executive Education at IILM Institute and has conducted training with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, Engineers India Limited, National Building Construction Corporation and Concentrix Corporation for senior and top management.

The Judges at the rebuttal  round

The Judges at the rebuttal round

The topics for contention were:

  • Worshipping the ‘Devi’ (female deity) and killing the baby
  • Gender equality must become a way of life
  • Equity vs. Equality, a gender discourse
  • Women are the real architects of the society

Each participant was given 3 minutes to speak. There were a total of 16 participants. Each team consisted of two participants. The first speaker spoke for the motion. The second speaker spoke against the motion. Before beginning to speak, each speaker from each team picked a chit to select a judge for the rebuttal round. The duration of the rebuttal round per participant was 3 minutes. During the rebuttal, the judge whose name was written on the chit picked by the speaker asked only one question. Banyan Tree School participated in the event but did not compete.

The judges expressed their views about the competition for over 15 minutes thereafter they were felicitated by Mr.Sanjay Srivastava, Dean, IILM.  This was followed by the prize distribution ceremony. The team from Tagore International School, East of Kailash bagged the first position. The speakers were Siaa Girotra and Rohini Sharma. They got Rs.7000 each, plaques and certificates. The team from the Pinnacle School, Panchsheel Enclave was declared the first runner-up. The speakers were Yashika Choudhary and Cheena Taneja. They got Rs.5000 each, plaques and certificates. The Best Speaker-for the motion, was Yashika Choudhary from The Pinnacle School. The Best Speaker-against the motion was Navya Dhir from Gurukul School, Ghaziabad. They both got Rs.5000 each, plaques and certificates. Banyan Tree School was represented by Anugrah Singh and Bhumitra Sharma. They got the highest points but being the host school, they didn’t compete. The debate concluded with a ‘Vote of Thanks’ by Ms.Chetna Saini, followed by the school song and National Anthem.

_MG_1165The Winning team – Tagore International School, East of Kailash  _MG_1168

After this, the Volunteer Felicitation ceremony took place. Over 33 volunteers from classes IX, X and XI and 8 members of the choir were felicitated. These devoted students had been working tirelessly for weeks, preparing for this debate. They executed the duties assigned to them, diligently.  Their sincere efforts were applauded by all.

-Written by Ms. Supriya Prathapan , TGT English , Banyan Tree School