Sustainable Development as Integral Part of MBA Curriculum
Meet on sustainable development at International Management Institute, Delhi
Tweet-- International Management Institute, New Delhi held a day long seminar on “Sustainable Development” in the Indian context. The event was jointly hosted by International Management Institute at its New Delhi premises with School of Business, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh.
A team of students and faculty members from Duquesne University along with students of XPGDM and faculty from IMI took part in a full day seminar with participation from Industry, NGO, Government and academia.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. C. S. Venkataratnam, Director IMI, and Dr. Nagaraj Sivasubramaniam, Chair Leadership, Ethics and Global Business Division, Duquesne University. The event was in alignment with the goals of UN declared ‘Decade of Education for Sustainable Development’. This fact was highlighted by Dr. Sonu Goyal, Professor, IMI, while moderating the panel discussion on “Sustainable Development in the Indian context”.
“During the mid 80’s there was no concept of sustainable development but it has become more than necessity today” pointed Mr. Viraf Mehta Chief Executive, Partners in Change, during the course of the Seminar. ‘The aim of a business should not just meet human needs for now, but the whole process should preserve the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also are available for future generations.’ he added.
This was supported by Mr Bharat Wakhlu’s, Resident Director, Tata Group, statement wherein he said that the only way to move forward in a country like India (where 70% people live on less than $4 a day) is to keep sustainability in mind. Taking example from the Tata Group Mr Wakhlu said,” Tata’s comprehensive motive is the welfare of the society with serious commitment to the community and its policy of planting more trees and utilizing more of green technology.
According to Mr. Wakhlu, sustainability is a process which views development of all aspects of human life affecting sustenance. “The field of sustainable development can be conceptually broken into three constituent parts: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability,” he added.
Explaining the importance of sustainable development Dr. Kaushik Deb, Program Director, MBA (Business Sustainability) TERI University said that Management institutes should incorporate sustainable development as integral part of their curriculum. “Teri university now has an MBA program in Sustainable development.What we need today are the leaders who can realize that sustainable development is no more a choice by a necessity, To prepare young minds in the right direction we need to study on sustainable development not only at the university but at school level too,” he further added.
Prof. C.S Vekata Ratnam, said Challenges-Social or environmental, is mandatory to solve it sustainably. He also explained that Indians have sustainability in their roots, there’s just a need to search it. So it’s important to blend ancient and modern culture.
During the course of the Seminar, the students from Duquesne and IMI took part in a debate on sustainability in the Indian Context in comparison to the US.
Duquesne has created the new MBA Sustainability degree to meet the demand for next-generation leaders who understand that planned growth, ethics, community and the environment all impact business strategy, value creation and shareholder’s return.
Notes to Editor
About International Management Institute (IMI)
International Management Institute (IMI) was established in 1981, as an autonomous non-profit educational society under the Societies Registration Act 1860, to meet the widely felt need for internationally oriented management education/ training for managers at all levels in industry, government and public systems. The academic programs of the institute continue to enjoy full support of the corporate sector as well as the Government of India since its inception. Today, IMI holds a place of distinction among the premier schools of management for being the first corporate sponsored business school with strong international orientation in India.
IMI follows international standard curricula in its programs, which has been enriched by its academic collaborations with a number of leading B-schools in Asia, Europe and North America and prepares participants to successfully manage and lead in an increasingly global business environment. IMI's educational programs have been recognized by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. The corporate world in India, public, private, multinational companies, international consulting firms and other organizations have employed its alumni who are rightly called, the Achievers. For more information about the IMI please visit www.imi.edu