IL&FS Focus

Online education comes of ageMukesh AghiIn the emerging business scenario, there is an urgent need to train managers in international business practices. One of the challenges of globalisation is the creation of knowledge workers distinguished by professional training in global skills. Especially for executives working in multinational companies in India, this has become vitally necessary as it also ensures that job rotation to the company‚s foreign offices becomes a seamless process. This development coincides with rising global demand for branded quality education. According to a recent World Bank report, by 2020 more than 100 million people around the world aspiring to higher education won‚t be able to realise their dream because of lack of traditional brick-and-mortar educational institutions. Fifty million of these aspirants will be from Asia, with India accounting for 15 million of them.This is where the possibilities and potential of e-learning become relevant. E-learning is the contemporary pedagogy of studying and working simultaneously. It facilitates the continuous education of frequent travellers, executives subject to frequent relocation, and ‚Ëœtime-poor‚ professionals attempting to balance the demands of work, family and health. For those who enroll in e-learning programs there is no regular ‚Ëœschool‚ to attend, no commuting time, no heavy load of classroom material to lug around. The course content transmitted through personal computers is designed by well-established academics and working profes-sionals. Most online courses also offer discussion forums where students can post their problems with ease and communicate with instructors, who monitor and communicate with them daily. Therefore it‚s hardly surprising that of all online courses, business management or MBA study programmes are most in demand. Incrementally these days, business is conducted using various information and communication technologies (ICTs). So if business schools are to remain relevant and accurately reflect what goes on in the business world, it makes sense to use ICTs as the medium for business education as well.Indeed online business study programmes are critical for the development of executives who want to stand their ground in the global business arena. I am confident that given the demand for business management education, the internet will emerge as a major medium for accessing business education. The contemporary climate of economic recession, job retrenchments and threats of terrorism has made it harder for students to get foreign study visas. This coupled with the high costs of overseas travel and tuition fees, as well as the duration of time required to complete an MBA, makes online learning programmes ideal for students, especially working professionals disinclined to compromise on time or work experience. Online executive education programmes are not just helpful for the executives who opt for them. They are also a convenient option for business enterprises and corporates. This is why a growing number of major Indian business enterprises are encouraging employees to pursue online business management programmes. A culture of self-development is essential if businesses are to derive advantage from the opportunities available. Informal learning, communities of practice and networked learning will contribute to expanding the pool of knowledge…