Last week, the SP Jain Group – which runs business schools in Mumbai, Sydney, Singapore, Dubai, and London – announced it has opened a campus in the US by acquiring the California Miramar University (CMU).
We talked to Nitish Jain, president of the SP Jain Group, who said that even as global universities are coming to India, an Indian B-school is increasing its global footprint. “We now have six campuses, and our students have the opportunity to study at any of these, or even multiple campuses,” he said.
What’s special about the US campus?
Jain said that although SP Jain Global had campuses serving most parts of the world, a B-school can’t turn truly global without having a physical presence in the US. “Within the US, to have a campus in San Hose – in the Silicon Valley – is possibly a jewel in the crown,” he said.
What’s being taught here?
At San Jose, students can pursue UG and PG in artificial intelligence, including an MBA and MS in AI. These programmes are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and approved by the US Department of Education. Graduating students will be eligible to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
Will it be called SP Jain Global?
No, the CMU name is being retained. Jain said that the CMU has a very strong brand value in the region, which can be diluted if another name is used.
The CMU is famous in California and the US as an AI-first institution, and has been at the forefront of integrating AI into its curriculum and educational approach.
How much did SP Jain pay for the CMU?
Jain refused to divulge financial details of the deal.
Can students from Mumbai study at the CMU?
Students from any SP Jain Global campus can take a module or semester any campus outside their home campus. But to study at the CMU, it might take a while, and would likely be possible next year onwards.
What about fees?
There is no change in existing fees at the CMU, and for transfer students (from SP Jain Global) the details are being worked out.
What is SP Jain Global famous for?
The B-school is known for its tri-city model of education, wherein students have the option to study in three campuses. Jain said that while this means more investment into education, it opens up more job opportunities for students because they not only study on the campus, but network as well with industry and with the locals. “Our philosophy is that the business world has gone global, and therefore B-schools should also go global because companies need people who can work in a global team and exploit global opportunities,” he said.
Do these campuses have Indian students?
It depends on the programme and location. For example, in the BBA at any campus, there are students from 20 countries, but in the global MBA programme there are predominantly Indian-origin students (in Sydney, Singapore and Dubai). But in campuses like London – which is a far more cosmopolitan city – there are a lot of non-Indian-origin students on the campus.
Is there any connection between SP Jain Global and the SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), the Mumbai-based business school?
SP Jain is the name of Nitish Jain’s late grandfather, as he was the patron of the SPJIMR, and the name ‘SP Jain’ was given to the SPJIMR. SP Global, on the other hand, is a trademark owned by the SP Jain Group.