• Universities to collaborate in the areas of teaching, research and student programmes
• Both young and progressive universities have innovation and entrepreneurship at core
• Joint panel discussion explores the progress of the ‘Make in India’ Programme

The Singapore Management University (SMU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BML Munjal University (BMU) on 13 April 2016 in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. Under this collaboration, the universities will work towards establishing joint academic and research programmes.

Since its inception in 2014, BMU is committed to creating an industry-immersive learning environment through innovative teaching, learning, and research techniques. BMU fosters the spirit of entrepreneurship in order to inspire students and faculty to push the boundaries in terms of research and innovation. Through its partnerships with leading corporates and universities such as KPMG, IBM, Siemens, and Imperial College London, BMU has created a platform for its students to gain global exposure and skills, and opportunities for its faculty to collaborate with industry to conduct cutting edge research.

Both SMU and BMU share the conviction that a broad-based curriculum delivered through interactive and experiential learning, along with strong linkages with industry and the community, will prepare students well for the world beyond the university. Under the terms of the MOU, the universities will collaborate along these lines to establish faculty exchanges, joint research programmes, research workshops, mentorship for postgraduate and doctoral programmes, pedagogy workshops, joint executive education programmes, and MBA or corporate immersion programmes. Students from BMU will have the opportunity to attend summer programmes and community projects at SMU and vice versa. The programme will cover academic modules as well as industry visits.

Speaking on the collaboration, Mr Akshay Munjal, BMU President, said, “We are delighted to partner with SMU. It is a significant step in our endeavour to create a world-class teaching and learning environment. Both the universities are aligned in their vision of providing research-based, hands-on practical learning to their students and we see significant synergies and gains for both parties. This collaboration will provide our students and faculty with a great opportunity to gain relevant global insights and exposure.”

Elaborating on the partnership, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, SMU President, said, “As two young and progressive universities that have innovation and entrepreneurship at our core, SMU and BMU have great potential in jointly developing relevant and innovative research and academic programmes with strong linkage and applications to the industry. The collaboration will strengthen our Asian insights and multi-disciplinary capabilities, while building knowledge that can generate significant impact.”

The two universities shall also explore jointly designing, developing and delivering an academic programme.

[Featured Photo: SMU President Professor Arnoud De Meyer (second from right) and BMU Chancellor Mr Sunil Kant Munjal (second from left), signed an MOU between both universities on 13 April 2016, in the presence of Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, (right), and BMU President Mr Akshay Munjal (left). (Photo by BMU)]

Joint SMU-CII-BMU Panel Discussion: Making the ‘Make in India’ Programme a Success

[Photo (left to right): Moderated by SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business Dean and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Professor Gerard George, the SMU-CII-BMU Panel Discussion held on 13 April 2016 included panelists SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, Hero Motocorp Joint Managing Director, Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, and Engagements Cisco India and SAARC Executive Director, Mr Harish Krishnan.]

SMU, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and BMU jointly organised a panel discussion on 13 April 2016 at the Taj Palace in New Delhi, India, to examine the progress of the ‘Make in India’ programme since its introduction.

In September 2014, India’s Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, launched his ambitious ‘Make in India’ programme, pledging to lower barriers to doing business and promoting foreign investment. The aim of the programme is to encourage multinational and national companies to manufacture their products in India.

The event saw a gathering of about 40 participants from the corporate sector and academia in India. Moderated by Professor Gerard George, Dean of SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the panelists included SMU President, Professor Arnoud De Meyer, Hero Motocorp Joint Managing Director, Mr Sunil Kant Munjal, and Engagements Cisco India and SAARC Executive Director, Mr Harish Krishnan.

Among the issues discussed were the growing importance of the manufacturing sector in India’s economy and the need for high value-added manufacturing in order to leapfrog the competition in other manufacturing-based economies in the world. The panelists supported the programme but acknowledged that there are challenges, particularly in the areas of policy changes, infrastructure development and skills training. They concluded that the programme is grand in scale and its impact on India’s manufacturing sector is likely to be visible only some years from now.