The Hindu Business Line : `Indian students thrive on independence in learning'

"We're a classic University business school, but with a very strong emphasis on research," is how Andrew Lock, Dean, Leeds University Business School, describes this British B-school. "It's that mixture of being outstanding in research and being able to translate it into real practice, which is a major combination," he adds.

With over 1,500 undergraduate and post-graduate students, Leeds University Business School is considered to be among the world's top b-schools. Both the Financial Times and The Economist have listed Leeds University Business School among the world's top 100 B-schools.

On his annual trip to India to meet prospective students, alumni, academic partners and Indian corporates, Lock also participated in events organised as part of the visit of the Lord Mayor of London.

He spoke to The New Manager on Leeds University Business School's MBA programme, the James E. Lynch India and South Asia Business Centre at Leeds University and partnerships with academic institutions in India. Excerpts from the interview:

Could you tell us more about your MBA programme?

It's a 12-month programme. Lots of people in India ask me how you can do a one-year programme. Most of the British and European courses are of 12 months duration. All the major international accrediting bodies have now imposed a minimum of three years experience for prospective students. So it's not like a programme where you've got to teach freshers about what a business is like; you start from a different position.

I think the 12-month duration of the course is for many people an attraction. It's not just price, it's also how long you can actually be out of the marketplace.

India seems to be an important market for Leeds University Business School. What is the advantage you offer Indian students?

Because we've been coming regularly, we've got a strong position in India. We've built up a position which I think not only builds the brand, but also benefits the students who participate. They come back to India with a qualification that's not just good in its own right. You will find a number of corporates who are well aware of it, and we've got a wide network of alumni around the country who are enthusiastic supporters of the course. The other side of it, what do they get out of it. I think it's the contrast with probably what they've had before. It's an education that's challenging, but also forces them to think how to apply what they are learning. It's not just driven by the textbook; it's driven by getting people to think where particular elements of knowledge came from and may be, therefore, the limitations.

Giving people more independence in learning seems to really benefit Indian students. They respond very well to it and also contribute a great deal. Facility in the English language gives Indian students an edge and they are very rarely reticent in class.

Cost is often a major factor for prospective B-school students. Do you offer many scholarships?

Yes, we offer a range of scholarships. We are offering a complete scholarship under the Airtel NDTV Scholar Hunt, which includes full living costs as well. We also offer a full-fee undergraduate scholarship, one each year to Indian students. There are a number of part-scholarships, which help that extra bit if people have to take loans. The key is to help a range of people rather than just being able to help one or two.

You have an agreement with IIM-Ahmedabad and have just signed another with IIM-Kolkata. Could you tell us a bit about these partnerships?

They're both for the same thing. Both universities have recently introduced a post-experience PGP (post-graduate programme), which is a 12-month programme and is very similar to a whole lot of British and European MBA programmes. As part of the programme, students spend five weeks abroad on what is called an immersion programme and we're the UK partner.

In the Ahmedabad version, students come to the UK for five weeks. They do a week's intensive `doing business in Europe' course with us, then four weeks of individual projects with corporates. We had five students from Ahmedabad last autumn; we're expecting a larger number from Kolkata in a month or so. Some of their projects actually might be based more in the business school. We also have a partnership in the health management area, with a slightly different bit of the University, with Ahmedabad. We're talking to IIM-Kolkata about ways in which we might expand collaboration.

What about tie-ups with other institutions in India?

We have an undergrad tie-up with IILM in Delhi where students do one or two years there and then come to us for two years to complete the degree. We have a tie-up with IIFT Delhi, which is more on the research side. We're always interested in talking to some of the leading universities. The question always is — where the good fit is.

Leeds University has recently established the India and South Asia Business Centre. What sort of work has it done so far?

The links with the IIMs are run through the centre. That's been an active role. There's a commentary on the Web site on current Indian affairs. The interesting thing we're doing is some of the comparisons between India and China. And questions which very much came out of the Lord Mayor's visit about patterns of liberalisation in India and freeing up the markets and perhaps where we stand in political terms.

We've also been doing some work with a very senior lawyer in Mumbai on patterns of corporate governance and the evolution of corporate governance in India.

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