Sies School Of Business Studies | TheHigherEducationReview

Sies School Of Business Studies

By Dr. Nitin Vazirani, Director
SIES School of Business Studies (SIESSBS), an integral part of the South Indian Education Society (SIES), has been at the forefront of enhancing the quality of management studies in India. Through its commitment to excellence, a dedicated faculty, modern infrastructure, and a forward-looking approach, SIESSBS has earned recognition as a premier business school.

Formerly known as SIES College of Management Studies, SIESSBS was founded in the year 2000 with a vision to provide quality management education to future professionals. Rooted in the rich tradition of the SIES, which operates several educational institutes in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, SIESSBS has established itself as a distinguished business school.

It received the prestigious ISO 9001:2015 Certification for quality management education, marking a significant milestone in its journey of continuous improvement. In 2008, SIESSBS was honored with the Ramakrishna Bajaj National Quality (RBNQ) award in the "˜Education' category, a testament to its com¬mitment to quality education. The institution also holds the coveted ACBSP ranking.

Preparation for Industry Challenges


Preparing students for the industry is a paramount challenge for educational institutions worldwide. SIESSBS tackles this challenge by adopting a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning. The institution emphasizes participative classroom learning, experiential learning, and problem-solving methodologies. Faculty members utilize various pedagogical methods, including case studies, simulations, role plays, practical experiments, and projects, aligning their teaching with Bloom's Taxonomy.

This structured approach ensures that stu-dents have a clear understanding of the course structure and objectives. Moreover, SIESSBS integrates interactive and collaborative tools like Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, Zoom, and WhatsApp, as well as software like SPSS, Excel, R, and MiniTab, into its teaching practices.

Uniqueness of Courses & Skill Development


SIESSBS stands out by focusing on the holistic development of students. The institution emphasizes soft skills through experiential learning, helping students build attributes like team building, time management, stress reduction, and group behavior. The goal is to unearth students' latent talents and prepare them to tackle various challenges in their professional and personal lives. The institution's modern infrastructure, including well-equipped computer labs, enables hands-on training. For Ph.D. candidates, specialized software like SPSS and AMOS is provided for research activities. The institution also supports visually impaired students with software like Perl scanner with Open Book Reader.

Alignment with Industry Requirements


SIESSBS recognizes the importance of industry-academia partnerships in shaping its pedagogy. The institution aims to equip graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the corporate sector. To achieve this, SIESSBS plans to benchmark its curriculum against international standards, moving towards experiential and phenomena-based learning.

The institution also intends to offer liberal education credits in areas beyond management, such as arts, humanities, and music. Moreover, SIESSBS is actively exploring accreditation from organizations like AACSB.

The institution's focus on industry-focused, skill-oriented programs and its commitment to management development programs are designed to foster stronger ties with the industry.

The Future Roadmap


SIESSBS has a promising future, with plans to file for 'Deemed to be University' status under the South Indian Education Society (SIES). The institution aspires to become the preferred choice for management and other courses in Mumbai and beyond. The roadmap includes a strong emphasis on academic excellence, research, and corporate engagement.

The institution aims to introduce new programs with a focus on industry relevance, new generation specializations, entrepreneurship, social and environmental responsibility, Indian values, and executive skill development. Furthermore, SIESSBS intends to scale up its management development programs to generate a significant portion of its revenue.

Strategies for Enhancement


Over the next five years, SIES School of Business Studies (SIESSBS) has outlined a comprehensive plan to further enhance its academic excellence, align with industry requirements, and embrace technology.

The institution's key focus areas are academics, faculty recruitment, student admission, research, campus development, communication technology, and infrastructure improvement.

In academics, SIESSBS is dedicated to equipping graduates with futuristic technical, digital, and life skills, aiming to make them not only employable but also socially responsible citizens in a globalized world. The institution plans to benchmark its curriculum against international standards, emphasizing experiential and phenomena-based learning. They are also shifting toward a liberal education approach, offering a portion of credits in non-management domains. The pursuit of AACSB accreditation is a significant goal.

SIESSBS intends to be recognized for industry-focused skill-oriented programs, alongside general management courses. They are contemplating integrated management programs, including a 5-year 'engineering management program'.

These new programs will emphasize industry relevance, new generation specializations, entrepreneurship, social and environmental responsibility, Indian values, and executive skill development.

Faculty recruitment is a critical aspect of the plan. SIESSBS aims to attract young, dynamic, digitally literate faculty members with strong research backgrounds. They plan to maintain a favorable student-teacher ratio and introduce 'Professors of Practice' from industry.

Additionally, they aim to have at least one faculty member in each specialization with an international qualification.

"Regarding student admissions, SIESSBS plans to focus on improving the quality of students admitted while also filling all program seats. The institution will conduct its screening tests to evaluate writing ability, communication skills, and innovative thinking, crucial for management students", shares Dr. Nitin Vazirani, Director.

SIESSBS is committed to becoming a research-driven institution. Faculty members will emphasize knowledge creation and dissemination, with a dedicated research center focusing on areas like digital transformation, Indian industry competitiveness, environmental and social impact, and more.

The institution plans to maintain its central location in Navi Mumbai while exploring the possibility of satellite centers in Maharashtra. Their campus will be digitally connected, representing a modern, virtual university. To ensure efficient communication, SIESSBS will rely on a contemporary communication technology system, while infrastructure development will include both physical and digital aspects, ensuring a top-notch learning experience.

Administratively, SIESSBS will create a robust organizational structure with advisory and regulatory bodies and a strong focus on risk management system.

SIESSBS's dedication to quality education, its commitment to industry relevance, and its visionary approach make it a prominent institution in the field of management studies. With its ambitious plans for the future, the institution is poised to continue its journey of excellence and play a significant role in shaping the next generation of business leaders.