Established in 1993, Goa Institute of Management (GIM) has one of the best learning infrastructure among business schools. In order to provide students with an educational experience in an institutional setting, a Student-run Investment Fund (“Vinidhan“) was established. The Fund provides students hands-on-training in equity valuation and portfolio management with guidance from industry experts and […]
Established in 1993, Goa Institute of Management (GIM) has one of the best learning infrastructure among business schools. In order to provide students with an educational experience in an institutional setting, a Student-run Investment Fund (“Vinidhan“) was established. The Fund provides students hands-on-training in equity valuation and portfolio management with guidance from industry experts and supervision by finance faculty. Prof. Amiya Sahu, the faculty advisor of Vinidhan, says “the team research companies and decide which stocks to buy and sell, using a chunk of cash that usually comes from GIM students and alumni. The idea is to let students experience first-hand what it’s like to play the market and learn from their mistakes”.
While on one side students learn with the real pain and gain in the stock market, on another side the learning happens through simulations and games. Prof. Hemant Kumar Padhiari who teaches strategy with Capstone business simulation, feels the simulations like capstone provides students with the opportunity to test assumptions and learn from mistakes so they are better prepared to step confidently into their business career. Through Capstone, students get the chance to apply what they’ve learned across all disciplines of business in one strategic, competitive, engaging learning experience. Prof. Tarun Pasricha who is a marketing faculty at GIM uses another simulation Markstrat which according to him helps in integrating the students into the real life and the day-to-day choices that face companies in a competitive environment.
The learnings at GIM also happen in the form of social sensitivity. GIM has been quite active and successful in training and producing socially responsible managers. The Give Goa project of GIM aims to help students become more socially aware and responsible towards the broader good of society. Prof. Sukhathankar, Give Goa coordinator, hope that with Give Goa, students would be better able to describe “real-world” problems and circumstances faced by the community and realize the need for engagement of business and individuals in addressing problems of the community. Give Goa is a mandatory course like any other core courses. The only difference is that it is a one-year project where students of the first year of the Post Graduate Program are formed into groups of six to undertake a project at an organization in Goa. Each group is guided by a faculty member and by a project coordinator in the client organization. Projects are taken up broadly in the fields of Education, Social Welfare, Agriculture extension and Public Health.
If we want our students to stay motivated and engaged, then it is essential to make learning fun. The Centre for creativity, Innovation and Design Thinking was established for the same purpose. The centre organized series of workshops covering Theatre, Dance, Photography and Film Making. The idea is to draw students out of their comfort zones, stressing on self-expression, articulation and group dynamics. The centres drives the credo of learning at every level-both in the class and outside “At GIM, the learning never stops” says Professor Cedric Serpes who chairs the centre with a team of dedicated faculty with diverse skills that enrich e centre’s delivery. It takes diversity of learning to form a global manager and the Centre provides diverse opportunities to make this happen.
Learning really is a lifelong process. At GIM we recognize this and help to keep the learning going all year long.
