So you're a software engineering graduate and you've developed a really cool app. But you have no idea what to do next. How do you get your product our there, how do you make a business out of it? If that sounds like you, then the Blended Education Programme by Pearson India and National University of Singapore's (NUS) Business School might come in handy. This course is specifically targeted towards professionals and graduates who just want to gain some business knowledge. Vishal Narayan, Programme Head, NUS tells us more about the programme. Excerpts.
1.What is the objective of the programme and who are targeting?
With this programme, we’re really trying to focus on a very specific set of people. We’re looking at people who have graduated and have been working for about 3-9 years, we’re looking at people who have been able to specialise in one area but lack business knowledge. For example, think of someone who has done software engineering, suppose he/she works for TCS or Infosys and has been working on a software, but now require business skills to manage a team, or interact with marketing agents. People like them would require some business knowledge. That’s the kind of people we’re targeting and we think there are thousands of them in India.
2.Why would they not do an MBA?
There are a few reasons. It is expensive. Not many people can afford the expense or time away from work. A lot of them might not be interested in becoming a marketing manager or a finance manager. All they need is some business knowledge to interact with other business functions.
3.What is the duration of the programme?
It is a six-month programme, which will start this October. The way we’ve structured it is that classes will be held on the first and third Saturday of every month. About 48 hours of classes.
4.What basis will the candidates be selected on?
They need to have an undergraduate degree. Apart from that we will be looking at something in their resume which shows that they will really benefit from a programme like this.
5.What’s unique about your teaching methods?
The thing that’s unique about NUS Business School is that we have the best of the west, along with being Asian. All the professors we have are trained in the US, so the education we provide is like what you would get in any American Business School. What’s unique is that we come back and customise it to the Asian context. In some sense, it is the best of both worlds. Also, unlike other online education platforms, there will be a lot of interaction between the student and faculty here.