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With an objective to promote cooperation between academic members, students, and research groups, the Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore) has signed an MoU with the Rennes School of Business (RSB), France. The delegates from RSB, France, visited the IIM Indore campus on August 22, 2022, for the MoU signing ceremony. Prof. Himanshu Rai, Director, IIM Indore, and Dr. Thomas Froehlicher, Dean and Director General, RSB, signed the MoU.
Other delegates were Mrs. Stephanie Hiaumet, Director of International Development; Mrs. Elodie St Yves, Director of Student Mobility; and Mrs. Maud LE BARS, South Asia Area Manager, Conseillère du Commerce Extérieur de la France. Prof. Saumya Ranjan Dash, Dean-Programmes, Prof. Pritam Ranjan, Dean-Research, Prof. Shruti Tewari, Chair – IPM, Prof. Jatin Pandey, Chair – PGPHRM, and Prof. Mukul Gupta, Chair – International Relations, IIM Indore were also present on occasion.
Prof. Himanshu Rai expressed his delight in collaborating with RSB. ‘We are delighted to join forces with RSB, France, and strengthen our research and academic relationships. This association will provide a platform for student and faculty exchange. We will also invite scholars from both ends to come together and collaborate for joint research of mutual interest’, he said. He added that the institutes also plan to offer joint programmes and conduct engaging activities such as exhibitions, webinars, lectures, conferences, symposia, etc. Prof. Rai appreciated the five-value system of RSB, namely, freedom, creativity, boldness, humility, and openness. He said that this system resonates with IIM Indore’s aim to develop socially conscious leaders, managers, and entrepreneurs who are open to change, are courageous to come up with creative and innovative ideas, always remain humble, and contribute to the nation building. He shared with the RSB team various initiatives undertaken by IIM Indore. “We as business schools need to define the areas we want to specialize in, not just at the faculty level, but as an institute. This collaboration with RSB will allow us to identify the areas of mutual interest and collaborate for various joint programmes”, he said.
Dr. Froehlicher said that the collaboration aligns with their motto of ‘Unframed Thinking’, implying learning beyond the borders. ‘Association with IIM Indore aims to offer contextually relevant joint programmes for the students that help them gain knowledge from beyond borders. We are happy to sign an MoU with one of the top business schools in India with a Triple Crown accreditation. He noted that this association doesn’t only add diversity to the students from both ends but also brings in a plethora of ideas and research from two nations with vast differences in background, culture, history, etc. “We will work together on strengthening our experiential learning through engagement. Our students will be exposed to the rich Indian history, culture, and education system when they come for exchange programmes. This will add value to their learning”, he said.
Founded in 1990, RSB is one of the leading research-based business schools in France. It is among the most internationally attended Grande Ecole de Commerce in the nation, bringing diversity to its campuses. The school has more than 55 percent international students, and 90 percent of the faculty members are from outside France. The school provides a platform for more than 90 nationalities across the globe to come together. RSB’s mission is “to prepare, through education and research, innovative and responsible managers to perform in a global environment.”
The MoU is valid for five years.