(1) Which functional management
areas did LIBA build academically and infrastructure wise to elevate the
standard of the institution to its 6th position at a national level?
It is a Management school in India. Indian management schools, by
and large have not started functional MBA’s . LIBA has general MBA with 6
specialisations and high flexibility. The market and the students today, opt
for such courses. Within this constraint, we have to strengthen analytics, not only in general but also in various
functional areas and avant-garde technology areas. Another area, though we are
strong, have to bolster it with more research, especially at the global level.
Another area where we are strong is Studies in Emerging Markets, especially,
China. Above all, our focus is on Social Entrepreneurship and Good Governance.
We have started C K Prahalad Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Ajit
Singhvi Centre for governance and Ethics. We are recruiting researchers from
all over India. These two areas will be of immense help for socio-economic
growth of India.
(2) What were the significant challenges and impact of introducing
co-education in the institute?
LIBA is in the campus of Loyola College, Chennai. It is mainly an
undergraduate, college for men. I admitted women in the college only in 1981.
This can be a constraint for making LIBA coeducational. But it was not. LIBA
was a coeducational institution from day one. We had just 6 women students in
the first batch . But that was the culture of 1979.
Today, LIBA has practically equal number men and women.
We had some problem to build hostel for the ladies in the campus.
But it was overcome and we have hostel facilities both for
boys and girls. We have no any specific challenges. In conformity with the
culture of the place, the hostels are separate for boys and girls, with
different rules, mess etc. but we have taken into account the needs of a MBA
student.
(3) What are the top three advantages of LIBA’s MBA program that
no other business school in the same league offers?
1. Personal care – Mentoring
and other concern we show to students. We follow their growth individually.
2. Holistic formation – not just academics, but emotional, physical,
social and spiritual growth. LIBA believes in this holistic formation.
3. Competent, caring faculty – The faculty are not only experts in
their area, but they take keen interest in the student and help through 24/7.
(4) Does LIBA offer scholarships to its students? What percentage
of the incoming class is eligible for a scholarship?
We do offer scholarships. We have scholarships for academic
performances and merit cum means scholarships. We have six scholarships. Since our tuition fees are very
moderate, most of the students avail of the loans.
(5) What are your future plans for LIBA?
1.
Focus on research, more of
application oriented research. Research also on social
entrepreneurship and governance.
2.
Adaptive technology to help
the rural entrepreneurs, so that we
marry traditional technology with modernity.
3.
World class curriculum which
constantly monitors the global developments, changes etc.
4.
Good, state of the art
infrastructure. I am aware, it is not very good now. We have to change this.
5.
Make the programme fully
residential.