Interview by Bhawna Rawat

Dr Shiv Kumar Tripathi, Dean at CMR University

Dr. Shiv Kumar Tripathi is currently working as the Dean of CMR University. Formerly he was the Vice Chancellor at Mahatma Gandhi University, Meghalaya, Professor and Dean (Strategic Planning and International Relations) at CMR University, Bangalore (India); Professor and Head of Business Studies at Mzumbe University Dar Es Salaam Campus (Tanzania) and Dean, Faculty of Management at VBS Purvanchal University (India). He was a visiting faculty at Coventry University (UK) and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (India) programs in Tanzania. As a trainer and facilitator, he has worked with a number of companies and institutions including National Thermal Power Corporation (India), University of Witwatersrand (South Africa) and International Society for Advancement of Scientific Publications (INASP, UK).

Prof. Tripathi has been a guest speaker at the University of St. Gallen’s Master’s course in “International Management”. He has delivered invited presentations in India, Brazil, Egypt, Germany, Romania, Switzerland, and the USA. His part-time corporate experience includes advisory and board membership roles in different companies in India, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Dr. Tripathi has supervised 11 students for the award of Ph.D. degree in Business Management and has been a member of a Doctoral thesis committee of different universities in India, Tanzania, and France. He has been a member of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Global Working Group on ‘Anti-Corruption in Management Curricula’ and ‘Poverty Eradication through Management Education’. Currently, he has an academic interest in strategy, ethics, sustainability, and higher education management.

Know more about CMR University’s Faculty

Dr. Shiv Kumar Tripathi’s experience in the education industry

While working for more than two decades in higher education, both in India and abroad in different roles as teacher, researcher, and administrator, I find this sector full of positive challenges and exciting opportunities of directly contributing to the society. The education industry is very unique in nature, as it has a high degree of service orientation. Most importantly, among all industries, it has the greatest impact in nurturing young talent and shaping the next generation.

Dr. Tripathi’s philosophy of leadership

I believe that a leader’s role is to connect different forces for the greatest impact. Therefore, he/she should be a facilitator who can identify the positive forces and link them to create better synergy.

Changes in the education industry noticed by Dr. Tripathi

The use of technology has significantly influenced the way of students’ learning style and preferences. Today a lot of indirect learning takes place through technology platforms. Also, industry configurations and preferences are fast changing.

On the other side, some institutions seem to have adopted ‘product-oriented’ view of educational services without looking much into the fundamental purpose of higher education. It requires constant monitoring and improvement to address social-economic development in any given context.

The optimum path for a student wanting to excel in any field of management

Management is all about mindset. Students first need to ensure that they develop the problem-solving orientation. They need to focus not only on the company’s goals but on the goals of other stakeholders and should aim for creating greater ‘good’.

CMR University’s curriculum and Growth of students through placement opportunities available at CMR University

We frequently update the curriculum to tailor it to the fast-changing industry needs. At the same time, we also understand that there is a difference in learning preferences and styles of our students. Therefore, our programs are more focused on future industry’s requirements and our graduates have been received well by corporates. Our very active placement cell ensures that students get suitable industry exposure and work opportunities. So far, a very good number of students have been placed with different organizations through campus placement.

Read more about CMR University Placements

Things which make CMRU stand apart from other institutions

Innovation in the teaching-learning process through regular need-driven changes, flexibility in learning through a combination of pedagogical tools, opportunities for focused development through a well-balanced assurance of learning, and emphasis on the development of practical ethics are some essential features of CMRU approach.

The qualities which have helped CMRU to create a brand name for itself

We have a vision of serving the student community and being catalysts for solving the larger societal problems through education. This is in addition to a high-quality course curriculum and sound delivery of programmes with robust quality assurance system.

Dr. Tripathi on preparing students to face challenges of modern organizations and global standards successfully

By providing opportunities to regularly interact with global scholars and practitioners from different fields, we provide an educational experience that is relevant to the needs of industry and society.

Goals in Dr. Tripathi’s mind for CMRU for the next five years

We aspire to be one of the best globally recognized/accredited institutions, known for the development of creativity and prudence in our students.

Suggestions for the current youth and the aspiring students

While making the choice in your career, don’t just look at crowded marketing messages. Instead, apply your own wisdom to judge who can help you to develop towards your career goals. Remember, for a good learner, placement and good career are just a natural outcome of the process. Best wishes!