IIM-A wants to break into big league

Kicking off Confluence-2003, the annual international business school meet of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, on Thursday evening, IIMA director Bakul Dholakia said the institute, rated the best in India, wants to break into the league of top 20 business schools of the world.

Addressing an elite gathering, comprising top academicians, industrialists and students from over two dozen business schools, the IIMA director said, "We are the best in Asia, but that is not enough. IIMA wants to be voted among the best 20 business schools of the world. As of today, not a single B-school from Asia is in that elite list and all the top 20 B-schools are from North America and Western Europe."

Announcing a major expansion plan for IIMA -- both in terms of student admissions as well as infrastructure -- Dholakia said till last year, the maximum number of students that IIMA could accommodate was between 430 and 440 including those studying for doctorate.

"By the next three or four years, we will be able to accommodate more than 800 students. We want to be a truly internationally acclaimed business school," he said.

He said the new IIMA campus that is being constructed will have many more classrooms, hostels and other facilities.

The new complex is being constructed adjacent to the existing one with an underpass connecting the two as the 132-feet Ring Road passes in between the two buildings.

IIMA has so far signed memorandums of understanding with 29 foreign business schools for student exchange programme.

While 50 students from IIMA go to various B-schools for a term, 35 foreign students come to IIMA every year.