IIM-A mulling to set up campuses in Dubai and Singapore

Ahmedabad, Feb 16 (PTI) Top B-school Indian Institute ofManagement, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) today said it was exploring thepossibility of setting up campuses in Dubai and Singapore.

"We are looking at the possibility, but I think there isstill a year left till we can set up campuses overseas inDubai and Singapore," IIM-A Director Samir Barua toldreporters.

"Whether it would be satellite campuses or programmes tobe offered from such centres will have to be discussed withthe faculty and the Governing Board first," he said.

"The programmes to be offered in Dubai or Singapore inmy view will have to be different from those being offeredhere," the director said.

He said the Union HRD Ministry, in October last year, hadgiven its nod to IIMs for opening campuses outside India andhas also given permission to cut down the size of IIMs''Governing Board from 25 members to an effective number.

A final decision in this regard will be taken by IIM-ASociety, Barua said.

"Smaller board size can play a very effective role ingovernance of the institutes and can do wonders," he said.

"Opening campuses overseas makes sense as students therewant to study in their own country instead of spending twoyears in another country. We would like to tap that demand,"Barua said.

The IIM-A has 65 partner institutions, essentially B-schools, overseas for student exchange programmes.

About the trends of ongoing placements at IIM-A, Baruasaid, "Early indications are that the number of offers havegone up and compensations offered by companies have alsosurged as compared to the last year." PTI VKB PD RSY