How time flies…
In my 2015 conference paper, “Are Indian MBA Schools Global and Market Oriented?,” co-authored with a Professor of Indian descent, and presented at the prestigious Academy of International Business (AIB-MENA) conference in Dubai, we raised concerns about the internationalization of Indian business schools (B-Schools) calling for strategic partnerships and development of job-ready graduates.
Looking Back
My co-authored 2015 viewpoint paper assessed the place of Indian B-Schools, and especially the MBA, within the context of the global economy. The study highlighted the trend in MBA provision in India with a view to exploring how MBA graduates may be better equipped, and positioned, to take up managerial opportunities provided by the influx of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) into this emerging market. Overall, the study observes and reports that the demand-side seems to outweigh the supply-side on a range of areas – from the lack of qualified instructors, through the poor teaching practices and quality assurance mechanisms. The study surmised on the need for B-Schools in India to forge strategic partnerships, international networking arrangements and ultimately international accreditation.
Fast forward to 2025
A decade later, the likes of Woxsen University Hyderabad have demonstrated how this should, and can be done with its multicultural faculty and strategic partnerships with global Higher education institutions and corporates.
A recent article in BW Education 2025 entitled “Woxsen University Unveils New Model To Boost Learning & Employability”, says it best – with some emphasis on the private university’s Polaris project.
Project Polaris in a Multipolar World of HE
Under Polaris, academic courses have been redesigned to incorporate live industry projects that address contemporary challenges across areas such as sustainability, technology, and social impact. Students engage with these projects as part of their coursework, applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations.
Let’s hear it from Senior Leadership
Raul V. Rodriguez, Vice President of Woxsen University, stated, “Polaris signifies a fundamental shift in the approach to educational value creation. Rather than asking, ‘How much can we spend to improve outcomes?’, the question becomes, ‘How can learning be reimagined to deliver significantly better results using existing resources?’ The solution lies not in costly technology or expanded facilities, but in the strategic coordination of human potential.”
What’s more?
The Polaris model has drawn international attention from universities and policymakers seeking cost-effective strategies for institutional transformation. Woxsen University plans to share insights from the initiative through academic publications, collaborative forums, and policy discussions, contributing to the wider debate on sustainable educational reform.
Accreditation Bodies Insight
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is a global non-profit organization that provides accreditation to business and accounting programs at the college and university levels worldwide.
In an insight report by AACSB, “What’s the Future of Business Education in India?” a plethora of issues were raised, accruing from a virtual roundtable hosted by the AACSB, representatives of Indian business schools considered the future of management education and the role of accrediting bodies. Participants agreed that, to solve today’s business problems, managers must have the multidisciplinary skills they can only gain from exposure to the sciences, the arts, and the humanities.
Looking back at the question we posed a decade ago, “Are Indian MBA Schools Global and Market Oriented?” The answer is a resounding yes they can!
Happy 79th Independence Day, India (15 August 2025).