'XLRI's Mumbai campus will focus on finance, Amravati on international partnerships'

Founded in 1949, XLRI Jamshedpur is India's oldest business school and it just celebrated its platinum jubilee. Now, the 75 year-old private institution has hit another growth spurt with new campuses in the works. Its Amravati campus will focus on international collaborations; Mumbai, on finance courses; and in Delhi, an automobile design school is planned. Father S George, S.J., director, XLRI Jamshedpur, spoke to Sheena Sachdeva about upcoming campuses, new courses, placements, partnerships with Indian and international universities and more. Edited excerpts

- Sheena Sachdeva

Q. What are the new courses and departments introduced recently? How are they doing?

A. XLRI Jamshedpur launched a unique one-year postgraduate certificate programme in corporate social responsibility leadership in collaboration with the Tata Steel Foundation in 2023. The same year, the XLRI Leadership Education and Development (XLEAD) Trust was registered. The institute marked 75 years of its service to the nation. To commemorate this, a Skill Development Cell (XLRI - SDC) was created in June 2023. The cell aims to train youth in acquiring working skills that would help them get employment. It is XLRI's livelihood mission to mark 75 years. Through this, we aim to go back to the roots and relive the original dream of the founding fathers of the institute.

In 2022, a two-year post-graduate diploma in innovation, entrepreneurship and venture capital was started. We introduced a XLRI Rutgers University, New Jersey, US, partnership under which a two-year double master's programme in supply chain management and supply chain analytics was launched. Further, Xavier Online Learning programmes were also launched in the same year and we inaugurated the Center for Public Policy and Public Affairs.

Recently, we partnered with IAE Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France for dual-degree programmes with specialisations in healthcare and analytics, a master's in business analytics and a double master's in social entrepreneurship and innovation, international business and human resource management.

Q. How have been placements for Jamshedpur and Delhi-NCR campuses for this year, considering the economic slowdown and recession?