Setting the process in motion

Step 1: In recognition of the well documented gap of effective pedagogy for impactful learning and employability, and with the intent to find a possible remedy, the Management set up a Leadership team consisting of Director of Institution, Head of Academics, Finance and HR department and other members who had intensive corporate experience of over 10 years. The Leadership team then devised pragmatic plans through introspection and experience-based recognition of the gaps and an understanding of these gaps in terms of student learning and employability. The imperative to address industry needs was clear, and a sense of collaboration between the key stakeholders was deemed essential if the outcomes were to be of value to graduates.

Step 2: The first step of leadership team was to create a common platform known as IDF – Institutional Development forum, whereby all staff members regardless of seniority were required to attend every Saturday morning for 2 hours. The stated intent was to create a common platform for the analysis of critical issues and to provide an opportunity to share opinions, suggestions and ideas: feedback was documented and collated for review and culminated in a collectively owned institutional Mission Statement. First, evaluation of values needs to be an integral part of Staff, actively prioritize values-congruent behavior in hiring and performance management. What are reasons for a gap that exist between a company’s aspirational values, expectations of a staff etc. and the practice in reality?

Though most employees care what leadership believes in, they are quite observant to paying attention in what leadership does, not what it says. So Experiential Education reinforcement, must come from the top Management, as a DNA or the Academic philosophy and of an Institution, for the good of Students.

Whatever Institution’s values are, all staff should be systematically evaluated for, how well they imbibe and live up to these values. They must possess apart from Academic knowledge, the behavioral traits: passion, rigor, teamwork, ownership, curiosity, so they are better trained and traits, to spread the culture of ‘experiential learning in the Institution.

The corporate introspection and collaboration with academics led to a raft of measures and concrete steps towards addressing the perceived gap. All parties were committed to focusing on the most important stakeholders in an education institution: the students. It was well understood that meaningful opportunities for them to learn should be created.

Step 3: On an experimental basis, the Institution collaborated with 10 organizations in 5 different verticals, who were interested to partner in this initiative to address the academia- industry gap. The leadership team took advice and facts from the industry professionals, managers, supervisors and human resource members to comprehend “what is this gap is all about? “

The Research concluded that Change can be only effected in phases over a period of time as it also involves behavioral changes. The institution’s connect with Industry helped students undergo various brief projects in these organizations on a rotation basis, and feedback of their performance in the job was monitored and maintained by the institution. This was analyzed periodically to evaluate change in a student over 2 years, by mapping their performance/capabilities with the opportunities/activities initiated by the institution.

The industry/academic Leadership Team of IDF identified the following skills sets as critical in terms of employability:

An individual need to have a sense of ownership and have an entrepreneurial zeal.  

Organizational growth and effective processes that work towards meeting challenges required joined ownership of the ‘problems’ to be solved.  The institution proceeded  with two clear objectives: one highlighted in terms of capacity building to address corporate needs, and second in its endeavor to foster a startup eco system, created a dedicated Entrepreneurship department. Monthly sessions held, contextualized by the ‘Power of ideas’, and focused on business and technology idea incubation and potential opportunities., these sessions, helped propel and inspire students towards innovative thinking and new business opportunities.

In order to support this initiative, angel investors, venture capitalist and others with expertise in the access of capital are invited to guide new business development. Various critical elements are explored including global business, economics, technology, time management, cross cultural management, corporate governance, policy and legal issues are all analyzed and discussed, and ongoing management issues are reviewed through live or written case studies. The activities have been successful in terms of creating not only budding entrepreneurs but also industry ready professionals who have solid business sense and a quick starter.

Organizations have preference for the students having high initiative, self-motivation, and creative, analytical and organizing skills. Student clubs-initiated activities and sessions helped develop such a thought processes and hone skills.

Activity hubs and clubs

The clubs are norm in management schools, but participation was made mandatory for all students in order for them to associate enthusiastically with at least one social activity every year along with other events conducted twice per month including stock simulation, debates, negotiation, creative, analytical activities report writing etc.

Sessions held once in a month centered on managers from the corporate world to facilitate an understanding of business realities.

The clubs eventually helped to tap the talents of students, and the institution encouraged them to participate in various management fests and competitions. Faculty members supported and trained students, and experts were brought in to train specifics as deemed important.

It is very important to broaden knowledge on the trends in the industry and businesses and prepare students to understand organizational realities. The best way to learn is to listen and interact directly with the professionals.

Hosting conferences and seminars in campus

This is an ideal way of assimilating knowledge by the students and developing organizational skills. The Institution hosted and partnered in many management and corporate events, and invited professionals and personalities to interact with the students and it enabled students to develop networking skills.

Topics ranged from managing crises, collapse of business empires, application of mind & business decisions in unprecedented situations to simple issues such as “to do things in the first one year of life in a Corporate “. These seminars helped students understand experts view and perspectives.

The Institution recognizes it is a tech savvy era and businesses need to embrace technical and technology to remain competitive: students need to have a technology bent of mind and have a grasp of the tools to enhance their productivity.

Technical skills: The Institute made one or more certificate courses mandatory for all students in graphics, accounts package, ERP, CRM, logistics, stock market, material management, media planning and digital marketing, all of which focus on knowledge-based skill development.

Soft Skills Sessions: The lack of social and soft skills create employment challenges for graduates and a team of HR professionals and trainers was created to promote the development of life skills. The whole concept of “soft” or “life” skills is contentious in that it is vague, and practitioners continue to debate whether or not they can actually be taught. Social interaction, however, and effective verbal and non-verbal communication are generally considered to be important and sessions were created to outline the critical features of such interactions and provide opportunities to practice them in role plays and situational analyses.

Regular workshops were conducted on to develop certain ‘must have ‘skills like

Culture of ‘courtesy’

There was consensus in the team that it should instill the culture of students demonstrating courteous and respectful behavior. They should be made aware of such good practice, it airs positivity and is an amazing way of bonding and creating a feel-good factor with any person. Saying ‘Thank you ‘, ‘Sorry ‘are beautiful and impactful words and helps in developing good interpersonal skills. Students were made to realize the importance of this simple habit it can contribute in crafting personality style. Regular short sessions were organized and practiced in the campus to inculcate this habit

Moral Behavior and Character Building

With an increased national and international focus on effective governance and the exposure of local and global unethical business practices, the critical importance of integrity and core values has become an imperative for all management students. Although there is a paper in the syllabus, it was deemed necessary to explore in-depth ways of highlighting integrity in action and this is accomplished through focused case studies on corporate governance and ethics. This is attempted through scenario planning – it is still a case study, but it requires students to outline different outcomes from different decisions. So you can take, for example an ethical business decision and get them to outline the repercussions of the company making a range of unethical decisions. The other way is through role play – put them in a situation where they have made an unethical decision and get them to defend it to their Board of Directors: essentially any activity that makes them evaluate consequences.

Communication & English Language Training: Many students are accomplished in written English, but unable to converse fluently in English language. Although they have two years to enhance their proficiency in spoken English and business writing skills, extensive additional training was made available, but focusing on realistic business situations, which enabled ability to create and deliver clear and effective communication and presentations. In a modern global business environment good English communication skill is proving to be a key factor in professional growth and success.

Sports was given an emphasis by the institution and students were encouraged to participate in some activity with the intention to build a ‘fighting spirit’, competitiveness, ability to celebrate victory and accept defeat, passion, focus, team spirit and other qualities that promote teamwork, social interaction and application. Sports enable imbibe these virtues and plays a decisive role in work life. A 3 -member sports coach was appointed who were actively present in the grounds every day and it was mandatory for the students to present 3 days in a week and involve in a sport. Different sports team including girls actively participated in various inter college sports event. Sports really helped them to channel their energy, be physically active and take life and work sportingly.

As a strategy integrated the training with the syllabus as part of the timetable. This resulted in students taking it seriously and not a routine extracurricular offering by the college. The Institute developed and standardized the training of students in the skills highlighted and, in doing so, created a Centre of Excellence. The Institute also activated departments like Library to play a vital role. It is not limited to students utilizing it for reading newspapers, lending books, but plays a supporting role by organizing reading sessions every Saturday, where  students discuss topics of various authors especially in management and business field. The department keeps them informed about news, information and interesting articles on various topics uploaded in the Learning Management System and views are solicited and discussed.

The Experiential nature of these training and activities showing positive impact on the students’ transformation and was evident in their outlook. Corporate acknowledged the initiative of the institution to provide multiple opportunities to mould students and develop their competencies was certainly showing tremendous results, and the change was reflected in placements of the students.

The concept of Experiential Education is highly impactful when done in combination of academics- the way each subject and topic is delivered for knowledge acquisition capability, role plays, simulations, internships, live projects, as each of the activity brings out their potential and talent, Skills to sharpen their problem, analytical solving, interpersonal, analysis and decision making, and transition in the behavioral attitude and Managerial communication. The overall approach must reflect in the Institutions Value, Culture and Belief in the Power of Experiential Education as a Transformation in the Students – learning, development, and intellectual growth.