London, 02 December 2022: SP Jain Global Group, a Global Education Group, has campuses in Singapore (2006), Sydney (2012), Mumbai (2015), and now in London. Mr Nitish Jain, Founder & President of The SP Jain Global Group, has a discussion with Skilloutlook Team. Here is the brief of the discussion.
- HOW HAS THE SP JAIN JOURNEY BEEN SO FAR? CAN YOU SHARE SOME LIGHT ON THE GROWTH IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT?
S P Jain was built upon a simple philosophy–if business is global, then business schools should also be global. This philosophy led to the launch of our first campus in Dubai in 2004. Shortly thereafter, we set up campuses in Singapore (2006), Sydney (2012), Mumbai (2015), and now in London.
Establishing campuses in these diverse, dynamic business hubs allowed us to offer a unique brand of business education where students study in a minimum of two or more international cities. In doing so, they gain an understanding of the world of business as it is–global, dynamic and ever-evolving. In each city, our students gain first-hand knowledge of how to work in a global environment. They pursue internships, undertake projects with top companies, interact with business leaders and thinkers, experience cultural tours, and embrace the diversity in people, languages and business ethics. They learn to adapt to various economic, political and market forces and, as a result, develop global skills that have made them very attractive to global companies.
Enrolments have steadily climbed for all our programs given our strong rankings and job outcomes. Our Executive MBA program has been one of our fastest growing programs having recorded close to 300% growth in 2020 – 2022. Our Doctor of Business Administration and Executive Education programs have also benefited from the growing demand for new skills and qualifications amongst senior leaders and professionals. Our multi-city undergraduate and postgraduate business programs have also seen steady growth over the years.
- WHY DID S P JAIN CHOOSE LONDON AS A DESTINATION FOR THEIR NEW CAMPUS?
Because students want to study in London. Simple.
London is one of the leading cities in the world. With GMT 0, I call it the centre of our planet earth. It is the world’s second-largest financial centre, home to over 190 global companies and ranked one of the best cities in the world for university students. There are excellent opportunities for part time jobs, internships and industry guest lectures, and I believe our new campus will serve as an excellent location for students, alumni, industry leaders, and entrepreneurs from across the UK can come together to ideate and collaborate on thought leadership.
However, I clarify that we are yet to be registered in the UK. We expect this to happen within the next two months.
- HOW WILL THE UK CAMPUS BE A PART OF THE TRI-CITY MODEL?
Students opting for the tri-city programs at SP Jain Global will have the option to study at the London campus either for a term or transfer to the UK school. This will help in broadening their exposure to yet another commercial and business capital.
In the same way, students who are opting to study in London will benefit from the opportunity to study at SP Jain’s other international campuses.
- DOES SP JAIN GLOBAL HAVE ANY INTERNATIONAL B-SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NEW CAMPUS?
Initially, Royal Agricultural University (RAU) will be SP Jain’s validation partner in the UK. However, we expect to receive degree-awarding rights by April 2023.
- HAS SP JAIN TIED UP WITH ANY BRANDS/COMPANIES FOR RECRUITMENT FOR THE UK CAMPUS?
We will leverage our alumni base in London, along with our existing relationships with multinational companies and our Industry Advisory Board to tie up with local companies. The UK has very low unemployment and local companies have already started a dialogue with us.
- WHAT IS THE USP OF THE CAMPUS? PLEASE THROW SOME LIGHT ON THE COURSES AVAILABLE AT THE NEW CAMPUS.
S P Jain London School of Management will continue the global learning model of the school. It will offer students from the UK and other countries the opportunity to study in different countries and transform into global citizens and leaders of the 21st century.
By mid-2023, we will begin to offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate business programmes, including a Global MBA, Executive MBA, Bachelor of Business Administration, and a Master’s program in Global Business.
We will also be launching a brand-new Masters in Financial Technologies, which I think will be very appealing to students—from the UK and abroad—considering London is one of the world’s leading financial capitals.
- HOW IMPORTANT ARE INTERNSHIPS FOR STUDENTS, AND WHAT ARE THE PLACEMENT POSSIBILITIES IN LONDON?
Having a good degree is no longer enough to secure a good job offer. Real-world skills and practical experience make a world of difference during job interviews and so, internships are highly recommended to help students stand out.
Our London campus location offers students a strategic advantage as far as jobs and internships are concerned. We will be centrally located in the heart of London’s financial, business and tech district—Canary Wharf, and within walking distance to global companies such as BCG, Citibank, JP Morgan, Barclays and HSBC.
Canary Wharf houses over 10,000 businesses and 120,000 professionals. Our campus will therefore offer students opportunities to meet potential employers, network with the industry, gain genuine business insights and develop an understanding of workplace culture.
- WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR INDIA TO INTENSIFY ITS HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH TIES WITH THE UK?
I hold a view that collaboration benefits both countries. In the year ending June 2022 over 118,000 visas were issued to Indian students – up 89% from the previous year.
Clearly, UK is an attractive study destination for Indian students. A closer collaboration between both countries will increase the potential for Indian students to experience the high quality of UK education, give them more choice and pathways to broaden their academic horizons and boost global job opportunities.
- WHAT ARE THE KEY ADVANTAGES OF THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION? HOW DO YOU THINK THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION WILL HELP STUDENTS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT?
We are living in a highly connected, multi-cultural world and an increasing number of future jobs will require that you display the ability to network, collaborate and influence people across countries and cultures. Business may be universal, but there is no universal way of doing business. After all, how you do business in the UK or Australia is different from how you would do business in India. Or any other part of the world for that matter.
Studying abroad is undoubtedly, one of the most transformational experiences one can pursue. Stepping out of the culture you have experienced over a lifetime and into a new culture allows you to develop excellent cross-cultural skills, build a strong network of friends and professional contacts, and gain those ‘human skills’—the ability to communicate with confidence, empathise, solve problems, think critically and creatively, and influence people—which will help you stand out to global employers. You will learn to work with global teams and make better decisions, expanding local boundaries to global ones.
