KIAMS - Kirloskar Institute Of Advanced Management Studies Climbing B-School Ranks Two Steps At A Time
The latest Business India survey has ranked Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies (KIAMS) at A++, a full two levels above its previous ranking. While both students and staff are pleased, they say they won't rest on their laurels.
Online, December 4, 2011 (Newswire.com) - KIAMS - Kirloskar Institute of Advanced Management Studies rose two notches in the B-School rankings under the latest survey conducted by Business India.
Previously rated A, KIAMS is now ranked A++.
The 12-section Business India survey questionnaire covered a wide range of topics from campus specializations, pedagogy and curriculum, faculty profiles and library data to student support facilities, industry outreach and international linkages.
A total of 1,000 marks were assigned across the questionnaire then final marks were determined by a 10-category score sheet, with brand equity accounting for 25 per cent of the final mark; faculty and pedagogy 15 per cent; industry interface, technology use infrastructure, income and expenditure each assigned 10 per cent and student facilitation, growth, overseas networking and alumni each accounting for five per cent of the final total.
KIAMS rise in ranks was credited by some to such things as strong industry interface, matching industry's expectations, national and international research, infrastructure and live-project-based curriculum.
The rise in stature is pleasing, but comes as no surprise to KIAMS Director Dr. Gopal Iyengar.
"At one level there is elation, but deeper down there is no surprise," he said. "We do believe in giving the best in what we do - one of our values is 'to undertake only those things in which we have the potential to excel.' Knowing that we can excel in education, we have gone ahead with our efforts. In this phase we were more conspicuous by our absence than presence in ratings. But our target group knew what we were good at".
He further added "We always felt the need to have a mirror held up about our efforts by others, which we used to do through participating in CII-EXIM Business Excellence competition, RKQP Business excellence competition (internal to the Kirloskar Group) and so on. To get a business magazine perspective, we had chosen Business India. All the feedback would be debated in the faculty council and used as a stepping stone to the next level."
While staff and students are rightly proud of this achievement Dr. Iyengar indicated they couldn't afford to rest on their laurels.
Putting the A++ rating in perspective for the students, he told them "The outside world has acknowledged what we always knew. Sure, get as much spin as you want from it, but remember to keep nurturing your internal strength to sustain external recognition. In line with one of our values, continue performing based on your self-worth and self-esteem. When you go out to industry they should not experience a dissonance between shadow and substance."
KIAMS executive Shruti no doubt reflects the feelings of the student body when she said "There is a great feeling of achievement. Business India ranking is prestigious and acknowledged by most of the corporate world. In fact it is a gateway to make entry to those companies which assess B-Schools on a ranking basis."
And she echoed Dr. Iyengar's thoughts, noting while A++ ranking by a prestigious B-School survey shows that KIAMS is one of the best institutes in India, she said "however this is not the destination, but a journey which is to be walked successfully in future."
Both students and professors plan to not just maintain KIAMS rank, but to do better in the future.
Shruti said the goal is "to keep ahead of our competitors in every aspect."
"As we have always been doing, we will continue to define who we are and what we want to impact, and work diligently towards that," said Dr. Iyengar.
"Sure we are aware of competition but not obsessed by it. We may put together a benchmarked group from our band of institutes, and an aspirant group from the higher band, to understand how they deliver. But the bar will be raised mostly through aspiring higher in what we want to impact."
