Ed-tech firm upGrad is positioning its executive doctorate programmes as a key pillar of its international business, as senior professionals increasingly seek research-led qualifications tied to workplace outcomes rather than traditional academic careers, Myleeta Aga Williams, chief executive officer of upGrad International, said.
“What this cohort represents is proof that when you build doctoral education around the reality of how senior professionals live and work, the quality of the research that comes out is extraordinary,” Williams added.
Through its partnership with San Francisco-based Golden Gate University, upGrad said 67 Indian professionals are part of a global cohort of 183 Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) graduates spread across 27 countries.
Beyond Academia
Unlike a traditional PhD, the DBA programme is designed for working professionals and focuses on practical business application. Participants have used their research not just to produce academic theses, but also to release books, websites, patents and business frameworks that can be commercially deployed.
The programmes are delivered largely online, with occasional in-person immersions and global commencement ceremonies. upGrad currently offers doctorate programmes through partnerships with universities including Golden Gate University, Edgewood University and ESGCI in Paris.
Williams said the programme has become a credibility and quality driver for upGrad’s international business, with learners largely comprising CXOs, senior executives, entrepreneurs and business owners from over 50 countries.
Research themes from Indian participants included large language models, AI-led marketing transformation, manufacturing systems, women’s leadership in supply chains and digital public infrastructure.
Williams said some participants have already launched businesses or collaborative ventures emerging from their research work and global peer networks built during the programme.
AI Imperative
“Of course, this is very new since the completion of the doctorate is very new. Some conversations are active as we speak, for business opportunities,” Williams added on the potential for upGrad to invest in early stages of these new businesses.
According to programme data shared by the company, 50% to 67% of learners cited AI-led workplace disruption and the need to stay professionally relevant as a key reason for enrolment. Around 40% to 70% enrolled to build strategic AI fluency and executive-level understanding of emerging technologies.