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Q& A

‘Oxford won’t be awarding degrees, diplomas in India’

Oxford University, on Monday, announced a joint initiative with Pune-based Lavasa Corporation. Vice-chancellor of Oxford University John A Hood is a part of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s delegation. He spoke to Mahua S Mukherjee about the initiative:

What is this joint initiative all about?
We will establish Oxford University India Business Centre (OUIBC). The centre, which will be located at Said Business School in Oxford, will address major business issues through collaborative research between academics in Oxford, India and elsewhere. Alongside research and teaching at Oxford, the centre will develop a range of custom and open executive education programmes which will be delivered in India through a new facility in Lavasa, near Pune. A study with companies located in India and elsewhere will be undertaken to begin development of these education programmes which will first be delivered in early 2010.
Why have you chosen India?
We at Oxford have extensive research facilities in all aspects of your country. But i must admit that we lacked one aspect and that was Indian business. The way India has evolved post-liberalisation is mindblowing. India is among the top 10 economies in the world. We want to learn from Indian success stories and also want the other developing countries to learn from it. A clear understanding of the issues faced by India and their innovative solutions, as India transitions from poverty to prosperity, will form a guide to future generations of countries attempting similar transitions.
Would you be awarding degrees or diplomas?
Let me make myself very clear. We will be doing none of these simply because we are not allowed to do. What we will provide is faculty support for executive training programmes. These are not courses but just programmes and the duration can be from four days to four weeks. We are yet to finalise the details.
Do you have this type of programme elsewhere?
No, this is a first of a kind project by Oxford. We have no such centre anywhere in the world. As for the research scholars, we are open to anyone across the globe but that person should have a passion for Indian success stories and should be able to understand them well. As for the executives undertaking the programmes, they can be from private companies to government organisations and even NGOs.
How do you plan to go about it and what are your future plans for India?
We at Oxford believe in taking one step at a time. To begin with we will soon sign the MoU at Davos. Gulabchand will endow a new chair — the Ajit Gulabchand professor of Indian business studies — and he will be based at the Said Business School. By the end of the term we plan to appoint the head of the centre. As and when needed our faculty will be flown in from Oxford to conduct the programmes.