Chennai, September 20, 2024: Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, has taken bold strides in reshaping its curriculum to produce future-ready managers, aligning with the rapidly evolving demands of today’s global business landscape. This curriculum overhaul comes in response to insights gathered through extensive industry interactions, designed to ensure that graduates possess not only the knowledge but also the practical skills necessary to excel in a dynamic corporate environment.
Staying Agile in an Evolving Workplace
As a nimble and agile business school, Great Lakes Chennai constantly seeks feedback from its industry partners to remain aligned with the fast-paced changes in the corporate world. “Our conversations with recruiters, alumni, and industry leaders revealed a clear need for job-ready graduates who are adept at data-driven decision-making, cross-regional communication, and, most importantly, can demonstrate practical skills alongside theoretical knowledge,” said Dr. Suresh Ramanathan, Dean at Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai.
Industry-Driven Innovation
In response to these triggers, Great Lakes has initiated a series of roundtable discussions with senior industry leaders, accomplished alumni, and faculty experts. Recent alumni, particularly those who have been part of the workforce in the past five years, emphasized the importance of being able to apply learned tools and techniques immediately in the workplace. This feedback laid the foundation for a novel pedagogical change in the form of Lab Courses. These courses enable students to refine essential skills through hands-on learning, making them industry-ready from day one.
Bridging the Gap with Impact Skills Labs
The revamped curriculum introduces Impact Skills Labs across three terms, providing students with the practical exposure required to thrive in the modern workplace:
Term 1: Communication & Data Handling – Students hone their communication skills by learning to present business solutions clearly and develop proficiency in data handling, including importing, cleaning, and analyzing data.
Term 2: Storytelling with Data – Building on the skills from Term 1, students engage in real-world business problems, learning to use data to tell compelling stories and offer solutions.
Term 3: Innovation Sandbox – This lab fosters entrepreneurial thinking, allowing students to experiment and innovate in a safe environment. Here, they identify industry-specific problems, build prototypes, design business models, and pitch their ideas.
Concentrations: A Tailored Approach to Specialization
In a significant departure from the traditional majors and minors, Great Lakes Chennai has introduced Concentrations. This approach allows students to specialize in two curated concentrations, combining depth of knowledge with practical skills that are directly relevant to the industry. By offering dual concentrations, the program enhances both the breadth of student expertise and the range of career opportunities available to them.
Structured Faculty Mentorship for Holistic Growth
To further support student development, the revamped program includes a Structured Student Mentoring initiative. Each student is assigned a faculty mentor, meeting fortnightly to discuss academic progress, career goals, and skill development. This mentorship fosters a strong connection between faculty and students, ensuring personalized guidance throughout the academic journey.
A Curriculum for the Future
“With these changes, we are confident that Great Lakes Chennai graduates will not only stand out in a competitive job market but will also be equipped with the skills, mindset, and adaptability to thrive in industries of the future,” said Dr. Raj Krishnan Shankar, Program Director, PGPM at Great Lakes. “Our new curriculum ensures that our students are not just prepared for today but ready to lead in tomorrow’s world,” he further added.
Great Lakes Chennai invites prospective students and corporate partners to explore how this cutting-edge curriculum can help shape future-ready leaders.
