• ISB and SMU to collaborate in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and research
• MoU inked for faculty, student exchange and new programmes 
• Joint industry roundtable focused on managing innovation clusters

The Singapore Management University (SMU) entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Indian School of Business (ISB), with campuses at Mohali and Hyderabad, to collaborate, share best practices and leverage each other’s expertise. The partnership will allow both institutions to contribute to industry and academic developments in India, Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. 

The MOU was signed by Professor Rajendra Srivastava, ISB Dean and Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, and Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President, in the presence of Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, as well as faculty and senior management staff of ISB. The signing was held on 15 April 2016 at ISB’s campus in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

Announcing the tie-up, Professor Srivastava said, “ISB has embarked on an ambitious agenda to become the leading business school in Asia in the next few years – a school that balances the best of Asian insights that are valued all over the world, with Western thought. ISB’s academic partnerships have played an important role in its evolution and growth over the years. In keeping with this, we see an enormous potential in associating with SMU and working towards a stronger, mutually beneficial, institutional connection to develop expertise and insights on Asian and emerging markets that will be of immense value to the world at large.”

Elaborating on the partnership, Professor De Meyer said, “Both ISB and SMU share similar achievements, such as growing to become established world-class educational institutions in 15 years, and being among the youngest to be accredited by AACSB. We are pleased to work with a like-minded partner that is focused on innovation and entrepreneurship in business education, to exchange and deepen our expertise in teaching, research and student programmes.”

The collaboration is for an initial period of five years between the ISB and SMU commencing 15 April 2016. Through the agreement, ISB and SMU will collaborate to develop new thinking and practices in the areas of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and design new joint programmes. 

On the research front, the two institutions will consider opportunities for faculty, post-doctoral and doctoral students to organise and attend research workshops and seminars on topics of joint interest, and provide research assistance on projects in research centres at both institutions. Both parties will explore conducting faculty and students exchange programmes and international research conferences and seminars.

ISB and SMU will also explore the possibility of joint executive education programmes that will be co-designed and developed in specific areas of interest to both the institutions and companies co-located in Singapore and India.  

Significantly, apart from student exchange programmes, the agreement also envisages usage of each other’s facilities such as libraries for exchange students, participation in student competitions and involvement of students in co-curricular activities at each other’s partner institutions. 

[Featured Photo: Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President (second from left) and Professor Rajendra Srivastava, ISB Dean and Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation (second from right) signed an MOU between both universities on 15 April 2016. They were joined by Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (left), and Professor Sanjay Kallapur, Chair, ISB Faculty Performance Management (right).]

Joint ISB-SMU Industry Roundtable: Nurturing & Managing Innovation Clusters to Accelerate Growth

[Photo: Over 40 participants attended the ISB-SMU Industry Roundtable on 15 April 2016 which was co-chaired by Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President, and Professor Rajendra Srivastava, ISB Dean and Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation.]

On 15 April 2016, SMU and ISB organised an industry roundtable in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, to discuss the value of nurturing and managing innovation clusters in India and Singapore. The session was co-chaired by Professor Rajendra Srivastava, ISB Dean and Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation, and Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President. Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, was also on hand to provide insights on innovation.

Innovation clusters have attracted increased investment globally to accelerate growth and strengthen regional innovation. It is, therefore, no surprise that there is a greater emphasis among states to nurture such clusters and ensure their effectiveness and success.

There was a lively discussion session during the event. Among the issues raised was the role of the Indian government in developing an innovation capital in the country, with some questioning if the government has made sufficient contributions in this area. There was also considerable debate on the responsibility of the universities in growing the local talent pool. The participants had a consensus on the need to encourage top talent to remain in India to develop new enterprises and initiatives. 

More than 40 participants, comprising government officials, corporate leaders and startup founders in Telangana, as well as ISB faculty, attended the session.