Friday, June 4, 2010

SMUDE Admissions Starts on June 10, 2010

SMU-DE, one of the largest providers of Distance Education in India, will be opening their admissions to all programmes on June 10, 2010 for the Fall 2010 session. Applications to various courses are available at over 710+ SMU-DE Learning Centres covering 310 cities across India. For details, log on to www.smude.edu.in or Call: 18002667788 (toll free) or SMS to SMUDE to 5667755. Or feel free to write to us at enquiry@smude.edu.in and we will get back to you at the earliest.

Expert Speak: The Dynamic Discipline i.e. Healthcare Science

Dr. Gayathri Devi S
(21 years of experience, currently Professor & HOD, Health Care Science, SMU)

Healthcare science has always been one of the most dynamic fields for study and practice. It stands out as one of the few disciplines that is wholesomely dedicated towards the well being of fellow humans. Technological innovations, better medicines and service will make this field richer in the times to come. Healthcare science stands out also for its uniqueness. With so many different fields for excellence, the ways of approach are varied. On one hand you have Nutrition which is primarily theory based and on the other extreme you have Laboratory Technology where practical knowledge based on theoretical concepts prevail over always (skill component is equally important as knowledge).

But at the end of the day, theory or practical is not the question. For thorough professionals to make it big in this field there has to be dedication, orientation and lots of sincere hard work especially when it comes to caring for patients. Today the field is expanding even more. Medical tourism, healthcare counseling and medical services at your doorstep are gaining popularity. Whatever the dimensions this discipline takes, selfless service and hard work will always be the main requirement.

Expert Speak: Multifaceted Personality of Distance Education

Dr. L Senthil Kumar
(14 years in IT Industry. Currently HOD IT Dept. Sikkim Manipal University)

One sided approaches or one sided benefits are a thing of the past. It’s the age of multitasking and multifaceted personalities that click in the long run in today’s capitalist society. Distance education mode is one such form of imparting education that has adapted to the changing needs of the corporate world leaving old schools far behind.

The driving factor behind this change has no doubt been the necessities created by the corporate sector but institutions that have recognized the needs early and have adapted do deserve a lot of accolades. Take for instance the EduNxt platform provided by Sikkim Manipal University of Distance Education. Apart from the authorized Learning Centre faculty, students can directly interact with university based faculty to clear doubts, get career guidance and project help at anytime and from anywhere. It’s just one of the distance learning advantages but no doubt the most important one as it has been able to severely bridge the gap of communication and increase interactivity.

Adding to the above, there is no form of distraction in the education mode. One can choose a convenient time to pursue a particular course. Working professionals have the added advantage of completing their higher studies like post graduation without worrying about leaving the job.
The stigma attached to distance education in India however, has to be removed. This mode of education deserves a fresher outlook. Today programs offered by the leading institutes are all approved and contents at par with regular colleges. Faculty support through technology has helped in increasing academic rigour and interactivity leading to more acceptance among industries.

Talking of industries, the markets are looking good and the storm has passed. There is huge demand across all sectors of IT for experts where the most potent weapon is previous work experience. The demand is likely to surge in the coming months especially in the field of Infrastructure Management Systems (IMS), ITes services and entry level jobs. Having that higher education degree and work experience will keep you ahead in the race at all times. If you choose distance education you can do both at the same time.

However, choosing an institute is never easy and one needs to look at several factors so that the degree and skills that you earn is most valued in the industry. Check for course approvals by DEC (Distance Education Council), long existence of the university, their promptness in addressing your queries and the skill sets they provide along with learning support materials. Choose the best since quality matters and the rest will follow.

Expert Speak: The World of Arts & Humanities

Dr. Shivram Krishnan
(HOD Arts & Humanities, SMU)

The exciting world of arts and humanities has existed since time immemorial albeit in different forms and genres. However it has always failed to garner the same level of attention of respect as compared to the more popular engineering and medical field. So before I delve further into the different aspects of A&H today, let me debunk a few myths:

Myth 1: Students who don’t get into engineering go for A&H. Dedicated people in A&H time and again have proved their love for this field. They do it because they want to and they love to. It’s their passion that keeps them going. I don’t think anyone can imagine a world without arts and humanities.

Myth 2: There is space for everyone in A&H. While it’s true that the present higher education scenario in the country allows only 10-15% of all students applying to get into engineering, it does not mean the rest 85-90% will go into arts field. There is ample competition in this field but the sad part is, it’s never highlighted.

Myth 3: Theory is all that is needed for A&H. In fact it’s just the opposite. While one needs basic theory, in all my years of experience in this field I have found that work experience is valued like Gold in this field. One can command the best salary and position with a few years of work experience under the belt rather than going on studying.

The last myth brings me to my next point in the discussion. Where ever you may take admission, make sure that the course is heavily skill oriented. All programs in Arts & Humanities have a skill based component and unless these are acquired you will be found lacking in the practical world. That’s why I personally recommend Distance Education mode for this stream. You can work while you study and institutions like Manipal equips the candidates with all the necessary skill sets needed.

Career Prospects: My strong suggestion to all students is to begin your career by completing your under-graduate degree. Then you must work in the field. While working you may pursue post graduation through distance mode which is the ideal option or you may work for a period of 1-2 years before pursuing post graduation. The industry as such is going to hire in a big way in the coming years. Individuals with skill sets and work experience will be preferred the most. The most likely fields that will see massive recruitments in near future are Fashion Designing, Communication, Writing such as for scripts or ads, Commerce such as banking and finance and Animation.

Be ready to put in the hard labour initially, excel on the job and success will follow…

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Expert Speak: Distance Learning Only Solution to Knowledge and Skill Upgrade

Prof. Shanath Kumar
(19 years in IT, currently HOD Management & Commerce, SMU)

Gone are the days when one could take time off to upgrade one’s skills and consequently improve performance at the workplace. In today’s rocket age where an employee’s life virtually mirrors project delivery schedules, learning new skills and upgrading knowledge has become very much a part of the workflow process one follows in the office.

So, what does one do if truth dawns on us one day that our future growth depends solely on our ability to upgrade to the next level? From coding computer language to managing teams and from managing teams to presiding over a P&L centre is something that each of us needs to prepare for and seek out the skills for.

As a trainer who coached employees from a wide array of companies ranging from HP to Infosys, I have noticed that the only aspect that separates distance education vis-a-vis regular college is the academic rigour. Companies originally valued the latter because of the higher level of interaction and rigour involved. Today things have changed as virtual classrooms provide as much if not more of both these aspects.

Distance education today needs better synergy with the industry and this is where technology plays a major role. It can help reduce the distance between students and the faculty support more by way of interaction and inculcate academic rigour. Several institutions including the Sikkim Manipal University of Distance Education have been regularly adding more industry oriented processes and practices to ensure that more people from the workplace have access to skill upgrades.

A word of caution for those seeking Distance Learning... students should take time to check the processes in place at these universities, the alumni support that they boast of and the online tools that they provide to encourage interaction and execution of academic rigour. One should keep in mind that integration of interaction between students and faculty is very crucial.

Distance Education is not just the choice for corporate India. Given that more than 60% of our population is young and seeking knowledge, and more than half of them reside in small towns and villages, how else can we impart the skills required to expand their careers? Therefore, DE is the only solution as it is both affordable and accessible.

From the corporate perspective, money is not a criterion and nor is access. But despite having both of these in abundance, they do not have the time to leave their jobs and complete additional courses. This is where distance education comes in handy and is the only way ahead if India is to have a constantly upgrading workforce, a pre-requisite for global success these days.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Distance Education Institute!!! Look before You Leap!

It’s no more rocket science to understand the reasons behind growing popularity of Distance Education mode. With technology bridging all gaps, the courses on offer through this mode are better than regular institutes since they impart practical skills and also allows a student the freedom to work while on the course. But the more the success, the more the dangers surface albeit of a different nature. And I am not talking about the premier institutes like Sikkim Manipal or IGNOU.

With the increasing popularity of distance education mode more and more institutions in this field are coming up full of promises and fancy course names. Whether they deliver is another issue altogether. That’s why it’s very important that students do a thorough background check on institutes to authenticate their validity. I remember an article a few days back in a leading national daily on one such institute. Upon research a student had found that the institute had its offices in a garage in Punjab managed by 4 crooks laundering money in the name of admissions. Money, time, institute and the degree are all precious. It can make or break your career. So here are a few pointers that you should follow before you take the plunge on a new institute:

• Make sure that the institution is recognized by a university or UGC
• Go to the institute’s website and check the details like approvals, recognitions, contact numbers etc and call up the numbers to authenticate their validity
• Go to UGC website or the corresponding university website to see if this institute features in their list of affiliated places
• Institutions that do not have a website of their own is a strict no-no
• All courses offered should be validated by the Distance Educational Council (DEC). The institute may just have one course authenticated but may be offering many more
• It’s better if the institute you are interested in is a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU). You can get the details from AIU site
• If possible visit the place where the institute says its headquartered
• If visiting physically is not a valid option, then at least make sure you do a Google Earth search to locate the place and find out. If its a institute it will be visible
• Ask your friends, relatives or ask on Facebook or even a web portal about this institute and if anybody has heard about the same
• If its been a institute since some time, try and get hold of an alumni who have passed out to know future job prospects and the nature of education provided
• Do not stick to just one of the above guidelines, its recommended you check all
• Last but not the least, it’s always better to go with the established and the reputed especially when they are the leaders in the field.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Why to pursue distance MBA Manipal Education MD & CEO tells

Sikkim Manipal University, Distance Education (SMU-DE), a leading institution in Distance MBA domain, offers diverse range of MBA programs for working professionals. MBAUniverse.com interviewed Anand Sudarshan, MD & CEO, Manipal Education for details

Students at Sikkim Manipal University-Distance Education MBA (SMU-DE) are employees of top companies like SBI, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, DE and HP as Assistant Vice President, Senior Consultant, Center Business Head.

Sikkim Manipal University – Distance Education (SMU-DE) offers diverse range of Distance MBA programs with the growing demand among working professionals for pursuing MBA through Distance Education. These include under-graduate, post-graduate diploma and master programs.

In order to answer the queries of MBA Aspirants for the Distance MBA offered by SMU-DE, MBAUniverse.com brings to you the exclusive interview with Anand Sudarshan, MD & CEO, Manipal Education.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: What makes SMU-DE different from the other institutions offering distance MBA?

A: We at SMU-DE deliver quality education with more than 6,500 mentors which is why we attract the best students in India who are looking for distance education. The quality of students and the companies they work for is a testimonial for it. We are recognized by the government -- DEC for three academic years 2009-10 to 2011-12, the university is UGC recognized.

EduNxt, our online delivery system is the only two awards winning system that is recognized by the industry and government. We are ISO 9001-2000 certified. This means students have a very good experience with us - on time delivery of books, exams, degree etc. We are a public-private university and the Governor of Sikkim is the Pro-Chancellor of SMU-DE.

We are part of Manipal Education that has a legacy of over 56 years in quality education.

You can find our centers in 303 cities and 247 districts across the country in 725 centers. SMU-DE authorized learning centers are present in 20 countries. More than 350 SMU-DE examination centers across India conduct more than 22 lakh exams.

Q: What management programs are offered by SMU-DE?

A: We offer varied range of management programs including Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of Business Administration in Retail Operations (BBARO) and Bachelor of Commerce in information System (BComIS). All these under-graduate programs are of three-year duration and the eligibility criteria is 10+2. The Post-Graduate Diploma programs include PG Diploma in Business Administrator (PGDBA) and PG Diploma in Specialization Areas of MBA. PGDBA is a one-year program for graduates from recognized university.
The one-year PG Diploma in Specialization Areas of MBA is eligible for students from recognized University or those who have an equivalent of a two year Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management from AICTE approved institutions. Students who have completed the SMU MBA degree in the past are also eligible to pursue this program, if they wish to acquire a postgraduate diploma qualification in an added area of specialization.
SMU-DE also offers two-year Master of Business Administration (MBA) to graduates in any discipline and from recognized university. Master of Business Administration (MBA) Distance Education Program provide specializations in Banking Management, Finance Management, Human Resources, Information System management, Marketing Management, Retail Operations, Total Quality Management, Project Management, Operations Management and Health care services management.

Q: It is a general notion that full-time classroom MBA has more relevance as compared to a MBA degree attained through distance learning. What is your view?

A: Our programs are designed for working professionals. They are convenient and flexible. Students can learn from their office or, home through the resources available on internet. The books that are provided help to learn, even while student is traveling.
The modular structure of the course with learning outcomes makes studying possible anywhere, anytime. Technology supports like Industry mentor chat, Webinars, academic mentor chats, videos, blogs, discussion forum, small group mentoring, newsletters helps to plan time better and more efficiently.
Our students come from companies like SBI, TCS, Infosys, Wipro, GE, HP, Airport authority of India, Indian army, Indian Navy and Indian Airforce where they are posted as Assistant Vice President, Senior Consultant, Center Business Head, Deputy General Manager and Project Manager.

Q: What advantages does distance learning offer to the admission takers?

A: Distance Learning in MBA lends flexibility and convenience to the distance MBA takers. They get an option to learn online while doing their jobs. Their upgrading skills help them to implement assigned projects or, work in the field. We offer them peer learning via the online tools like academic and industry mentor chat on EduNxt.

Q: What is the application process followed for admission to distance education courses?

A: We follow a step-wise application process for admission to programs in Distance MBA. After deciding the program you want to pursue, you must download the prospectus from the institute’s website. Then visit the nearest learning centre to purchase the application form. The application form must be filled completely. Required documents mentioned in the application must be duly attached. The application form with the required documents has to be submitted at the learning center, along with the course fee.

Q: What fee structure does SMU-DE follow in regard of these programs?

A: There are various programs and fees vary but is affordable to all. For instance, the fee for BBA is Rs. 20,900 p.a. The annual fee for PGDBA and PG Diploma in Specialization Areas of MBA is Rs. 23,400. Two-year MBA costs you Rs. 23,400 p.a.

SMUDE counselor
Phone No:- 1800-266-7979
Email id:- info@smude.edu.in
website:- http://www.smude.edu.in