WUSTL business school forms alliance with top management school in India

Agreement paves the way for exchange programs, joint projects

The Olin Business School and the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC) announce the creation of a partnership designed to advance research, teaching and cultural understanding.

The collaboration opens opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions. The schools plan to organize joint programs in business and industry management training. The agreement facilitates the creation of joint publications, conferences and research projects. It also establishes new and innovative exchange programs for faculty and students.

“We are very excited about our new connection with the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta,” said Mahendra Gupta, Ph.D., dean of the Olin Business School. “Both schools excel in business education and research, and the ability to join forces will strengthen our reputations as global leaders.”

The institutions are already planning for an international immersion program — a capstone experience for IIMC’s Postgraduate Program in Management for Executives. The Indian students will come to St. Louis for four weeks to attend classes at Olin and undertake consulting projects or internships with area firms.

“This kind of exchange program is invaluable to our students,” Gupta said. “It will expose them to a different culture, help them understand international business practice, and consider cross-cultural management in an Indian business context. It is an experience that will prove invaluable to our executive students’ ability to thrive in the global marketplace.”

The Olin Business School already has connections with several other business schools around the world. In 2002, Olin became one of the first American universities to offer its highly successful Executive MBA program in Shanghai, thanks to a collaboration with Fudan University. The Financial Times ranked Washington University’s Shanghai-EMBA first in China and seventh globally.

In addition to Fudan University, Olin has a partnership with the Cass Business School in London where WUSTL’s undergraduate business students spend an intensive semester studying and interning with some of the world’s leading companies. Olin has also engaged in programs with ESADE university in Spain and Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil.

The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta was established in 1961 as India’s first national institute for postgraduate studies and research in management. Over the years, IIMC has grown into a mature institution with global reputation, imparting high quality management education. It has played a pioneering role in professionalizing Indian management through its postgraduate and doctoral programs, executive training programs, research and consulting activities.