Indian business schools and universities are getting climate friendly. While some are launching programmes on sustainability, others are starting courses in climate change, clean technology and carbon trading to be in sync with globally emerging trends in business and environment.
Pune-based Symbiosis Institute of International Business will be launching its new programme, MBA in energy & environment, next month. The two-year, full-time residential programme will seek to empower tomorrows managers with knowledge in the fields of energy and environment.
Environment has been bunched with energy because the institute recognises that an understanding of environmental issues like climate change, loss of bio-diversity and ozone layer depletion is necessary to pursue sustainable development. The programme will focus particularly on managerial, economic, legal and technical aspects to enable aspiring global managers to act as an interface between the worlds of new technology and sustainable business.
Explaining the rationale behind launching the programme during the slowdown, Rajani Gupte, director, Symbiosis Institute of International Business, says, “In these difficult times it would be wiser to diversify and do something that will make the student stand out. Students doing this programme will have the first-mover advantage because the opportunities in this area are vast.”
New Delhi-based Teri University is also launching its MBA in business sustainability for fresh students as well as mid-career professionals in June. The programme will seek to impart new skill sets to aspiring managers so that they are in sync with a new global context, which puts a premium on sustainability. It will focus not only on the integration of sustainable agenda in management, but also ethical practices for a holistic perspective.
Says Prabir Sengupta, head, MBA Business Sustainability Programme, Teri University, “The programme will go beyond conventional MBA pedagogy. It’s not just an MBA programme, but an MBA+ because its harnesses the institutes vast knowledge capital in sustainable development.”
Some institutes are revisiting their existing programmes. For example, the Gurgaon-based Management Development Institute has been running its School of Energy Management for the last three years. Though the programme was started by the Ministry of Power with support from USAID, it’s now run by MDI on its own. The school offers PGD in energy management to mid-carrier professionals with at least five years of experience in an appropriate field.
Says Dean Atmanand, “The school has also signed an MoU with Haryana Renewable Energy Development Agency (HAREDA) to undertake assignments in energy conservation and energy efficiency. Other states are also approaching us for similar work.” He is currently visiting the US to scout for more opportunities for the institute.
Last year, IIM-Lucknow announced the setting up of a Centre for Business of Climate Change. Dedicated to environmental issues and their linkages to businesses, the centre is expected to undertake studies to analyse the business issues arising out of the climate change challenge, understand the risks, document best practices worldwide and suggest solutions to corporates. But it may be some time before the centre takes off.
Says Devi Singh, director, IIM-Lucknow. “It’s not something new for us. We have been offering short-term courses in carbon trading for the last few years, which have been well received by students.”
Similarly, IIM-Ahmedabad too launched a course in carbon finance last year. Even younger universities are joining the environmental bandwagon. Amity University runs a two-year MBA Natural Resource Management Programme. The third semester focuses particularly on ecofriendly biotechniques, climate change & carbon trading and renewable energy sources. Clean Development Mechanism figures as an elective.
Going by the trend, its only a matter of time before such programmes and courses will be conducted by other management institutes and universities in the country.
Source: The Financial Express
Published on 22 May 2009