The Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM Calcutta) has taken a significant step forward in the realm of innovative education by signing a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 18th with the School of Design Thinking (SoDT) and Mission Samriddhi. This collaboration marks the creation of a Center of Excellence in Design Thinking, aiming to embed design thinking principles deeply within the academic curriculum, research, and projects at IIM Calcutta.
SoDT will serve as a key partner for IIM Calcutta, applying Design Thinking across various domains, while Mission Samriddhi will focus on community-impacting social initiatives and projects. The partnership seeks to advance educational methodologies by utilising SoDT’s “Design The Thinking” mindset, ” which emphasises design thinking as essential for problem-solving and innovation. Meanwhile, Mission Samriddhi plans to utilize its Community Development Framework with IIM Calcutta’s research expertise to foster social initiatives.
This MoU, set to last three years, aims to champion Design Thinking as a core institutional leadership and innovation strategy. IIM Calcutta aspires to establish India’s first Center of Excellence for Design Thinking within a business school, positioning itself as a focal point for all Design Thinking endeavours. The School of Design Thinking, known for launching India’s first ‘Design The Thinking®’ program tailored for academia, will support this initiative by offering special courses to students and stakeholders at IIM Calcutta.
Additionally, Mission Samriddhi’s involvement will ensure the design and development of sustainable projects capable of scaling to benefit larger populations, mainly focusing on reaching out to rural clusters in collaboration with IIM Calcutta.
The collaboration is set to introduce a variety of courses at IIM Calcutta, along with interventions in Design Thinking applications across different domains. Academic and training programs will also see the development of modules and assignments centered on Design Thinking, further enriching the educational landscape at IIM Calcutta and beyond.
