Top business and management schools in UK and India strengthen links
The University and one of India’s premier management schools have strengthened their partnership after a series of new enterprising, joint activities to share expertise, exchange ideas, advance global research and explore further collaborations.
Deepa Sethi, Professor and Dean (Outreach, Executive Education and Internationalisation) from the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIMK) was welcomed to the University of Chester’s (UoC) Business School this month (April).
Her visit took place shortly after Associate Professor Alex Fenton, Associate Dean of International at UoC, spent time at IIMK.
The exchanges built on previous links established between the award-winning Chester Business School, which was named Business School of the Year at the most recent Times Higher Education (THE) Awards, and IIMK which is in the top three management schools in India, as listed in the India Rankings Report (2024).
Among the partnership initiatives propelled were the development of new joint research focused on a range of subjects from Artificial Intelligence and entrepreneurship to social media on the Indian Premier League, analysed with netnography - a method that involves observational research based on online fieldwork.
As part of Professor Sethi’s visit to Chester she presented a masterclass on impactful communication for new managers.
During Associate Professor Fenton’s visit to IIMK, his schedule included delivering two masterclasses and a PhD workshop, and representing Chester on a panel on international students and employability. He also attended recruitment events talking to prospective students about opportunities at the University of Chester, and met academics and students in other universities in Kochi and Bangalore, providing the exciting potential to further increase links in India.
These enterprises followed leaders from Chester Business School taking part in IIMK’s international ‘conclave’ event, exploring India’s ‘soft power’ outreach, and featuring discussions on ancient Indian wisdom and its relevance in today’s globalised world.
They presented papers and chaired sessions at the event, held in London in the autumn. Associate Professor Kirstie Simpson, Dean of Chester Business School, was also invited to join a panel of business school deans to present their thoughts and discuss the topic of ‘The Future of Higher Education and its Role in Addressing Global Challenges’.
Associate Professor Fenton said: “Our partnership with IIMK is really important to us. They are one of the best management schools and what we've achieved so far, and are strengthening further, is enriching our international research, connections, our international reputation and student experience.”
Professor Sethi added: “We at IIM Kozhikode believe that international alliances should necessarily lead to meaningful research and teaching collaborations, joint funded projects and sustainable initiatives. This visit was deliberate on how to strengthen the ties with Chester. In the Masterclass, I discussed how communication is the lifeblood of existence; and that one can become an impactful communicator only by developing effective listening. I shed light on how culture and context add power to communication.”
IIMK is one of India’s top management institutes, set up in 1996 by the Government of India in collaboration with the State Government of Kerala, the state in which it is based. It is the fifth Indian Institute of Management to be set up and is recognised for its academic excellence and strong emphasis on research, teaching, and community engagement.