We offer immersive learning, futuristic curriculum: Kala Anand, Director - Career Services, Krea University

Over the last few years, liberal arts education is gaining popularity. Several factors contribute to that, however, the most critical of those is the need of the analytical and futuristic leaders who can demonstrate the qualities of collaboration, creativity, communication and problem-solving. Thus, liberal arts comes into play, offering holistic, multi-disciplinary learning. An amalgamation of arts and science, traditional and the unconventional learning, liberal arts education prepares futuristic leaders. Out of the several institutions offering liberal arts programmes in India, we discussed the future and importance of liberal arts with Kala Anand, Director, Career Services of Krea University.

Excerpts from the interview:

Careers360: Can you give a small walkthrough of the courses offered by Krea and how they are different from the traditional ones?

Kala Anand (KA): Krea University currently houses two schools - the School of Interwoven Arts & Sciences (SIAS) and IFMR Graduate School of Business (IFMR GSB). The School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences currently offers 3-year B.A. (Honours) & B.Sc. (Honours) degrees, with an option to do an additional year i.e. fourth year of Advanced Studies. Students have the option of choosing courses from the 9 majors, 4 joint majors and 15 minors offered. All majors and minors are housed within the Division of Humanities & Social Sciences, Division of Literature & the Arts, and Division of Sciences.

On the other hand, IFMR Graduate School of Business offers a two-year full-time residential MBA programme, PhD Programme and Executive Education. The MBA programme comprises 22 core and approximately 45 elective courses, spanning 7 disciplines. Unique specialisations offered include Quantitative Finance, Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI), and Data Sciences.

Careers360: How is the MBA offered by IFMR GSB different from the regular one?

KA: IFMR GSB is committed to providing premium quality education strengthened by immersive, experiential learning and a futuristic curriculum. Learning at IFMR GSB is backed by Krea University’s unique ‘Interwoven Learning' approach that enriches every student’s intellectual foundation of theory, knowledge, skills and perspectives. The futuristic curriculum and immersive learning module prepare students to tackle every problem and ensure effective management through a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach.

The first year of the MBA curriculum includes courses that interweave skills across management disciplines and liberal arts. Students learn about the challenges facing an organisation in the real world and develop skills to effectively manage them. These interwoven courses are co-taught by faculty members from multiple disciplines, as well as industry experts. Ethics, Design Thinking and Capstone Simulation are offered under the interwoven curriculum.

Careers360: What is the student profile that should choose a Krea University course?

KA: At Krea, we value qualities like open-mindedness, curiosity, communication, collaboration, empathy, creativity, and self-awareness. Both schools are student-driven, where students emerge out of the programme as adaptable and resilient individuals with a deep ethical grounding, sense of impact and purpose. We believe the ability to work in diverse teams is a key requirement, especially in the workplace. Therefore, we pursue diversity in our mix of students to bring multiple perspectives to classroom discussions.

Careers360: Tell us about the admission process at Krea.

KA: At Krea we understand that exam scores alone may not help identify the potential of an applicant. Admissions are driven by a selection mindset, where the team looks for reasons to engage with an applicant instead of rejecting applications on singular parameters.

The admission process at SIAS undergraduate programme is a two-stage, rigorous and unique process which aims to understand every aspect of the applicant’s profile. It goes beyond the applicant’s scholastic abilities to look for qualities that form the basis of education outcomes. There are no singular eligibility criteria related to academic or extracurricular achievement and the final selection is based purely on individual merit. The two-stage process includes application submission and a unique Krea Immersive Case (KIC) based on a shortlist.

The admission process at IFMR GSB MBA programme, comprises of two rounds i.e. Round 1 & Round 2, wherein candidates having work experience between 0–36 months can apply in either of the rounds.

Careers360: Lately, liberal arts education is getting popular. What are the reasons behind it?

KA: A liberal arts education is ideal if one wants to explore options, rather than being siloed in a particular field. The idea of a liberal arts education is to make connections between subject areas and look at problems from various perspectives rather than study a discipline from one angle. Contrary to popular perception, liberal arts is not about the ‘arts’ alone, but it goes beyond the arts to comb together various disciplines.

Krea weaves together the traditional humanistic approach of liberal arts with a recognition that quantitative and technical skills are increasingly important – as the mark of a well-rounded mind. What sets Krea apart is our paradigm of ‘Interwoven Learning’ that weaves together creativity and action, arts and sciences, theory and practice to make students future-ready.

Careers360: What makes liberal arts a better choice for students than the traditional courses – is it the curriculum or the way the students are educated?

KA: Liberal arts have traditionally been about broad ways of thinking, and here at Krea we combine liberal arts with specific hard skills which are equally important. Liberal arts education equips a young mind to comprehend a problem from multiple lenses, and the reality is that no single discipline will solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Liberal arts students come with essential skills of Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Computational Ability, Creativity, and Communication, and students at Krea are trained to make connections across disciplines. They also develop strong roots within a discipline, with firm connections between the ‘real world’ and the classroom-led academic world. Most importantly, they become self-directed learners and doers.

Careers360: What kind of career options can one look for after graduating in liberal arts?

KA: A liberal arts curriculum provides a learning experience that equips students with the skills to make them problem-solvers, critical-thinkers and responsible citizens of the society. A liberal arts programme typically makes a student’s skills more diverse and gives him/her the space to combine research and academic-focused programmes in the fields of Economics, Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Literature.

Under these fields, one can explore their career options in Biotechnology, Academia, Information Technology, Forensic Sciences, Chemical Analysis, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Business Analytics, Software Development, Blockchain Development, Astrophysics and Spacetech, Mathematical Modeling, Quality Control, Public Relations, Archaeology, Advertising, Public Policy, Sociology, Training & HR, Psychology, International Relations, Social Work, Civil Services, Journalism/Media/Mass Communication, Corporate Communications, Research and Writing and the list is endless.

A liberal arts education also bears in mind the skills and careers in the wake of tomorrow, where students can undertake a variety of new-age roles such as AI Ethicists, Energy Managers, Sociobiologists, Personal Memory Creators, Social Justice Consultants, Organisational Development Specialists and more.

Careers360: What are the profiles of the companies or corporate organisations that look for liberal arts graduates?

KA: Liberal arts graduates have the advantage of assuming various roles, across various organisations and disciplines. One can pursue a career in equity research, analytics, client servicing, marketing, relationship management, banking, consultancy, HR, e-commerce, journalism, advertising, forensic sciences, bioinformatics, sustainability, international trade, computational biology, applied research & development, data science and analytics, writing, research, social development, financial analysis, banking and public relations.

Liberal arts colleges, in India especially, attract top consulting companies, technology companies, not-for-profit organisations, policy think tanks & research centres, healthcare organisations, government bodies, and start-ups.

Careers360: Give us some details about the university & industry tie-up that Krea has. Also, how do you prepare your students to be market-ready?

KA: Our well-curated alliances include national and global academic institutions, centres of excellence, corporate entities, social enterprises, foundations and government organisations. Krea offers immersive experiences, to enable students to translate core classroom learnings in real-world scenarios. Internships and industry projects in both the schools provide students with a perfect learning ground, honing their skills through the on-the-job preparations that have already been weaved into the curriculum.

Krea University and our research centres have partnered with some of the best institutions and centres across the globe who are leaders in specific areas of practice. Some noteworthy partnerships are with MIT Dalai Lama Centre for Ethics, University of Chicago, Australia Council for the Arts, King’s College London, James Cook University, Berkeley Global, The India Oxford Initiative, Stanford University, Victoria University of Wellington, Nottingham Trent University, University College Cork, Centre for Asian and African Studies at Humboldt University, Harvard Kennedy Centre, Deakin University, University of Bristol, IUPUI - Indiana University and many more.

The Career Services Office (CSO) for undergraduate studies runs a robust industry engagement program. The CSO on a regular basis invites industry professionals to engage with students via structured semi-formal setting, so they have a deeper understanding of the skills that industry demands. Senior leadership from a range of organisations like Microsoft, IBM, BCG, Nivea, FCB Ulka, Google, Centre for Policy Research, IDFC Institute, Quess Corp, and many more have been part of the Krea Industry Partner Program.

Concurrent to this, the university also offers tools and services that help students stay better prepared. A partnership with global language learning organisation Busuu, allows students to pursue 12 foreign languages. The partnership with Talerang -- a career services organisation-- helps students address key elements like resume and interview preparation, identify their skills, map their goals etc.

The Business School has very well established industry partnerships which enable summer internship translating to Pre Placement Offers, and final industry placements at the end of their second year.

Careers360: Krea has three Research Centres, LEAD, J-PAL and CDFI. Can you give details of these and how students in Krea can get involved?

KA: Krea University is actively involved in research projects and partnerships, and provides strategic oversight to the following research centres:-

1. LEAD is a non-profit research organisation conducting high-quality scalable action research and outreach in development economics and finance. The programmes enabled by LEAD include - Initiative for What Works to Advance Women and Girls in the Economy (IWWAGE), Inclusive Cashless Payment Partnership (CATALYST) and Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) India.

2. Centre for Digital Financial Inclusion (CDFI) is a leading social enterprise developing and supporting digital innovations for social impact.

3. Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is a global research centre working to reduce poverty by ensuring that policy is informed by scientific evidence. J-PAL South Asia leads J-PAL’s work in the South Asia region with partnerships in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Students interested in research can support projects, supervised by our academic faculty or centres. Some of our faculty research projects include:

• Cloning the extended synaptotagmin protein for the biophysical studies

• Doing Bioinformatics analysis of the evolution of the protein of ubiquitin and Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) proteins.

• Analysing Data of Indian Parliamentary elections

• Implementing and playing around mathematically interesting algorithms

• Researching performing traditions of South India

• Learning tools and supporting building Digital Humanities database

Students can also access internship opportunities with the research centres.

Careers360: Summer internships play an important role in Krea. Please give details of the same.

KA: Krea University strongly believes that students learn more by immersing themselves in a ‘real world’ learning environment. This will be achieved by creating more ‘porous boundaries’ between the real world and the classroom. Students are encouraged to undertake internships and need to deliver projects (graded) during their course or trimester breaks.

At the end of the first year of undergraduate studies as part of the summer immersion, Krea undergraduate students have 3 options.

• A social Impact Internship

• A research Impact Internship

• Global Immersion

Social Impact Internship: Students are encouraged to undertake strategic projects aligned to their interest, with leading development organisations which will allow them to apply core skills they have learnt in the first year like Communication, Data Analysis, Design Thinking and more. Our students have engaged in social impact internships with diverse organisations like Teach for India, iTeach Schools, Ummeed, Landesa, ASSIST, AtQuest and more.

Research Impact Internship: Students who are keen to pursue research can undertake to support a faculty research project which is part of the research grants offered by the university. Places to this are selective and highly competitive, and will be based on the student’s evidenced capability and interest to undertake research.

Apart from this, a range of scholarships is offered for students who wish to pursue summer programs with our partner institutions.

At the end of second year students can intern at corporate organisations or industries of their choice as they have a deeper understanding of their chosen subject areas.

At the MBA level, students undertake corporate internships at the end of first year. A range of collaborations with social enterprises, for-profit organisations, research centres, corporate organisations and think tanks is set up by the Careers Services Office of both schools, to enable students to be actively placed in internships.

Careers360: Tell us about the scholarships and awards available to Krea students.

KA: Krea’s admission process is need-blind and need-aware and ensures that information about the financial background of applicants is not available to the admissions team. This enables any meritorious student to apply and be considered at Krea. Financial assistance provided depends on the income status of the parents / legal guardian but will take into account other assessment parameters as well.

Based on eligibility, students applying to the UG programme can also avail 100% scholarship for the entire duration of study at Krea with the College Board India Scholars Program, using SAT scores.

At IFMR GSB, a select number of scholarships based on merit and merit-cum-means are on offer to the students, which include three full scholarships up to 100%. Students stand to gain from a number of excellent external scholarship opportunities too. IFMR GSB students have availed of a 100% scholarship to pursue an online course in FinTech at NYU Stern School of Business while others have bagged scholarships from the prestigious CFA Institute. Krea also set up a 100% scholarship for undergraduate students to pursue a summer program from Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. More merit scholarships are on offer for summer programs at prestigious international institutions.

Careers360: What message would you give to the aspiring students of liberal arts education?

KA: The future is evolving and it is envisioned that the 21st century will be increasingly characterised by the complex interplay between humans, machines and the environment. Leaders of the future will have to ‘learn to learn’, have a sense of purpose and realize the social consequences of decisions with a sense of ethics anchoring their actions. A liberal arts education does exactly that - prepare you for an unpredictable world, with your learning going beyond your textbooks and classrooms.

As a liberal arts student, you develop a sense of place, learn to think, reflect, communicate, create, collaborate and act in a host of different contexts and learning environments. In fact, a liberal arts education opens so many different career paths for you, that you even have the option to try a new job when you want to try something different. In today’s world, even top employers understand the importance of being able to think critically and with clarity -- two skills that cannot be undervalued.

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