The initiative is part of an ongoing process at the group to train employees for better productivity.
"The Aditya Birla Group believes in creating an organisational ambience where talent can grow. We want our executives to earn while they learn. We are a global corporation with a global vision for each of our businesses and the offerings by Universitas 21 Global will provide an opportunity for our executives to learn in a global business education environment," Santrupt Misra, director (HR and IT), Aditya Birla Group, said.
"In the emerging business scenario, there is an urgent need to train managers in international business practices. Our online business education model allows executives to receive such education while carrying on their professional careers," Mukesh Aghi, CEO, Universitas 21 Global, said.
It has also signed up 1,300 employees from Wipro Technologies for its online MBA programme for the next three years.
Universitas 21 Global, was instituted with an investment of $50 million in 2001. It is a 50:50 joint venture between Universitas 21, an international consortium of 21 distinguished universities and Thomson Learning, a provider of tailor-made learning solutions for individuals and businesses worldwide.
The consortium of universities includes McGill University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Virginia, the University of Birmingham, the University of Glasgow, the University of Queensland and the University of NSW.
Universitas 21 Global has enrolled students from over 32 countries. Its MBA programme draws upon the best practices in education excellence and has been internationally approved by U21 Pedagogica, a quality assurance watchdog established by 16 universities worldwide.
Besides the MBA programme, Universitas 21 Global will offer a master's course in management infosystems and short-term executive programmes in subjects like finance and e-business.
The MBA programme has 18 subjects, with a duration of 12 weeks each and the subjects can be taken one at a time or simultaneously.
The institution has partners in Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Pune and Coimbatore and has marketing offices in Bangalore and Delhi.
