IIMs trying to get international accreditation to award degrees

IIMs are now trying hard to woo international students. In this regard, IIMs are now trying to get accreditation from two global bodies and authorities to award MBA degrees. Till now, IIMs offer diplomas rather than degrees.

IIM Kolkata's outgoing director Shekhar Chaudhuri said, "Considerable progress has been made towards enabling the IIMs to award degrees rather than diplomas. Though the PGDM of the IIMs is very well recognised in industry, a degree would help in strengthening the reputation of the IIMs internationally."

The Ministry of HRD is also working towards this and already planning to allow IIMs to award degrees through an Act of Parliament. He also mentioned that after getting the authority to award degrees, IIMs will get more flexibility to develop various programmes that are not possible today.

Presently, IIMs are offering two-year-post graduate diploma in management (PGDM) to students, which is considered equal to an MBA degree. The top notch B-Schools of the country are trying hard to get accreditation from the Association of Collegiate School of Business (AACSB) from last four and five years.

Chaudhari further added that they are hoping accreditation early next year. They are also working towards getting accreditation from the Association of Master of Business Administration (AMBA) similar with the international trend of getting triple accreditation.

He said, "Our long term goal is to get full time international students to join our PGP (Post Graduation Program). Accreditation by AACSB and AMBA would help in that endeavour."