IIMs to start 1-year course for professionals

It is time for top executives from around the globe to return to top business schools. Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have decided to open their doors for working professionals, having five-year professional experience, for a year-long diploma course especially carved for them.

IIM Calcutta and IIM Ahmedabad will start the course for professionals from this academic year. While IIM Ahmedabad will start admission from April-May this year, the course in IIM Calcutta will start from December 2006.

For the first time IIMs are starting a long-term diploma course for working professionals. “The course will bring working professionals at par with IIM graduates when it comes to educational skills.

The professionals will get an opportunity to do internship in some top companies of the world,” an official said. IIM Calcutta director Shehkar Chaudhari said that the course is to build leadership qualities in professionals and provide a platform for interaction between Indian and foreign managers.

“The course is for mid-career managers and is to equip them to take up challenging roles in global organisations,” he said. The course is part of a major plan of IIM Calcutta and IIM A for expansion to attract foreign students and generate revenue. IIM Calcutta has constructing a separate block for housing the 120 students they plan to take.