In a step towards becoming a global business school in the real sense of the term, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad is all set to impart lessons in charity management to a motley bunch of non-profit and non-government organisations in Singapore.

With its Singapore foray, the institute will become the world's first major B-School to offer a programme on managing NGOs overseas.

The management development programme, which will be launched in the next 6-8 months after a memorandum of understanding is signed between IIM-A and the National Kidney Foundation, Singapore, on Thursday, will be open for executives and managers working with NGOs and non-profit organisations across the world, especially from the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1969, the National Kidney Foundation is the largest charitable outfit in Singapore.

Infosys Technologies Chief Mentor NR Narayana Murthy, who is also IIM-A chairman, and Richard Yong, chairman, National Kidney Foundation, will sign the agreement. IIM-A Director Bakul Dholakia and Dean Indira Parikh are already in Singapore to help complete the formalities.

Speaking to Business Standard from Singapore, Dholakia said, "This is a very unique course, and while managing non-profit organisations is taught as one of the elective subjects at a few top B-schools in the world, there is nowhere a specialised management development programme on the subject."

IIM-A is also planning to introduce a similar course back home at its Ahmedabad campus.