The Hindu Business Line : NIIT Imperia takes synchronous learning platform to IIMs

Chennai June 1 Eight-year-old M. Mahalakshmi was confident at the prospect of playing against world No. 1 chess champion Viswanathan Anand. Mahalakshmi, herself a world No. 3 in the under-eight category, was among five others who simultaneously played against Vishy, as he is popularly known.

Interestingly, Vishy was in Kolkata while Mahalakshmi was in Chennai. They were playing the game live on NIIT Imperia's synchronous learning platform at the company's offices in the two cities. Launched last September, this platform uses technology to enable two-way audio-visual interaction between remote locations.

It has tied up with IIMs in Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Indore to start a range of executive education programmes offered through this platform. These include courses in financial reporting practices, applied finance, sales and marketing and general management.

Course design

The education institutes design the programme content which is transmitted on NIIT's platform. So far over 700 candidates have undergone these 6 month/one-year courses whose fees vary between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh.

More such tie-ups and more such courses are likely to be launched "any time now", Mr P.V.D. Ravikiran, General Manager, NIIT Imperia, Chennai, told Business Line on the sidelines of a six-city remote press conference.

NIIT Imperia wants to expand the scope of this technology and organising today's chess game with Vishy was one such move. "We want to tie up with schools, colleges and corporates to spread this medium of learning," Mr Ravikiran said.

The company is in talks with some corporate entities for offering this learning platform for employee training, he said.

The company also plans to add two Imperia centres in Pune and Ahmedabad this year to the six in Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.

More Stories on : Education | Internet | Tamil Nadu | Sports

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page