An expert in the domain of Human Resource Management and a management guru, Prof. Biswajeet Pattanayak is the Founder and President of ASBM University. With an enriching career spanning over three decades, he has held rewarding positions like Professor of IIM – Indore, Lucknow and Mumbai (formerly NITIE), and Director of the Indian Institute of Bank Management. He has been awarded a PhD, a D.Litt. in Organisational Behaviour, and a D.Sc. in Management Science, and is a Fellow of the All India Management Association (AIMA), New Delhi.

Prof. Pattanayak has served as Chair from 2021 to 2023 of the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), USA. He was previously an elected member of the Council of Management of the All India Management Association (AIMA), New Delhi and the Board of the National HRD Network. Nominated by the Hon'ble President of India, Prof. Pattanayak has served as a member of the courts of the Central University of Rajasthan and Guru Ghasidas Central University, Chhattisgarh. He is also a mentor at the World Bank assisted Centre of Excellence in Human Capital Development at Utkal University under the Odisha Higher Education Programme for Excellence and Equity. Professor Biswajit has been involved in the formulation of the Odisha State Education Policy, having been appointed by the Government of Odisha as a member of the State Level Committee.

Prof. Pattanayak has also been a panellist on the consultative panel on National Education Policy, 2020, of Niti Ayog, Govt. of India. An avid researcher, he has to his credit 104 research publications in national and international referred journals and 27 books. He has presented numerous papers and also chaired sessions at both national and international conferences. He has successfully guided several doctoral research scholars and currently has many working under him. Prof. Pattanayak has been conferred with several awards and accolades, including the ‘Education Leadership Award, 2023’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award, 2022’ from the World Education Congress. He has also received the ‘Business Excellence Award 2021 for Education’ from Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India. Additionally, he was the recipient of the prestigious Teaching Excellence International Award in June 2016 by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) in Atlanta, USA and received the Career Award of AICTE.

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What is your vision for the future of ASBM University?

Odisha did not have an IIM at the beginning of this century. So leaving coveted positions in different prestigious organisations like the IIMs (Indore, Lucknow, and Mumbai) and the Indian Institute of Bank Management, I returned to my home state of Odisha to fill that vacuum. It led to the birth of the Asian School of Business Management in 2006. From the very beginning, I had a clear vision of creating an institution that would be different from the run-of-the-mill business schools in the country. The first emphasis was on high-quality academic delivery, benchmarking the IIMs. The next was to bring industry and academia closer to benefit the students and to equip them with the right kind of competency and skill sets for total life transformation to make them good citizens and leaders.

How does the university plan to address the challenges of a changing higher education landscape?

ASBM gives importance to continuously collecting input from its stakeholders about the ever-changing business and community environment and, accordingly, goes on inventing and reinventing the wheel. ASBM has focused on technology integration with all facets of education irrespective of the discipline of study. It has created a proactive ecosystem which takes care of the changing higher education landscape in India. We are the first university in the state of Odisha to implement the National Education Policy, 2020.

What are some of the unique aspects of the student experience at ASBM University?

Invariably, the feeling of the students that their life at ASBM is completely transformative is a unique aspect. Additionally, we have case-based teaching, lectures by high achievers from different walks of life, bridging the gap between theory and practice with high application orientation, practical exposure beyond classrooms, psychological wellbeing initiatives through mentor-mentee programmes, innovation, and creativity in classroom delivery. The students often say ASBM not only develops them intellectually but also makes them ready to face the world through co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

How are you ensuring the curriculum offered by ASBM University remains relevant and up-to-date with industry needs?

Our prime focus has been to bridge the gap between theory and practice by bringing the industry closer to campus. Our industry connection is very strong and we regularly solicit the practitioners’ input on our syllabus and make changes as per the need of the hour. We also make it a point to get performance-based feedback from our alumni and recruiters to understand if any changes in the syllabus, pedagogy or if delivery mechanisms are needed. We also take the views of academic experts, our faculty and alumni, and student feedback into consideration while revising the syllabus and the mode of delivery.

Are there plans to introduce new interdisciplinary programs that combine different fields of study?

Our close network with industry tells us the requirements of interdisciplinary studies and we devise new innovative programmes accordingly. For example, we pioneered the introduction of master degree programmes in Retail Management, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management in collaboration with Pantaloons and Gati. Our BA in Liberal Arts is completely innovative, with an inter and multidisciplinary approach combining different fields of study. This year, we are introducing B.Tech. in Computer Science and Information Technology, focusing on both theory and applications.

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Can you share your program's recent placement rates and average starting salaries for ASBM University graduates? Do these vary by course or specialisation?

Placement is a function of the competency of the students. Given the holistic steps taken by ASBM for competency building and personality development of the students, we have been able to establish a consistent track record of excellent placement. This year too our students have excelled in campus placement drives and bagged multiple offers with very good pay packages in blue chip companies. In comparison to our fee, the package that the students receive reflects a very good ROI. 

How is the university fostering collaboration between researchers and industry partners?

Our students conduct research projects regularly during their internships under the joint guidance of the faculty and industry guides. The Live Virtual Projects (an innovation of ASBM) and capstone projects give a real-life industry flavour to the students. Further, our doctoral scholars are encouraged to identify real-time problems in industry for their research with industry data. Moreover, the faculty members are engaged in different consulting assignments to provide solutions to industry partners.

What are the university's plans for enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus?

Since its inception in 2006, we have been highly committed to creating an inclusive community on our campus. The students of ASBM are drawn from across India, which has a wide diversity of cultures and languages. Our admission policy has provisions to take care of this aspect. On campus, the ASBM community celebrates different occasions to foster the inclusive growth of the inmates. With the changing situation, the policy will be evolved if need be.

What are the housing options available on campus, and how does the application process work? (If you plan to live on campus)

We have separate hostels for male and female students on campus with the option of single and twin-sharing accommodations. The campus has all the basic amenities, including a canteen and a café, a fully functional health centre with an ambulance, an ultra-modern gym, web-based automated washing machines, a dance studio, a provision store, an ATM, a post office, a temple, and numerous outdoor and indoor games. The hostel is compulsory for students of residential programmes like MBA but optional for the others. The university also has provision of its transport for the day scholars. 

What advice would you give to prospective students considering ASBM University?

I believe the adult students are competent to make their own decisions, so I do not need to advise them. However, my suggestion would be for the students to look at all the parameters of a good institution, like academics, faculty, syllabus, curricular and co-curricular activities, campus discipline, achievements, and also the course fee vis-a-vis the value addition they can get for their holistic development.