The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) has secured philanthropic support from Tata Trusts for its newly launched School of Undergraduate Studies. This marks the institute's entry into undergraduate education.
Undergraduate Programmes Offered
IIM Bangalore opened admissions for its first full-time residential undergraduate degree programmes nearly a year ago, with the inaugural batch set to begin classes in August. The School of Undergraduate Studies, located about 27 kilometres from the main campus, will initially offer two four-year residential programmes: a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Economics with a minor in Data Science and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science with a minor in Economics.
Batch Size and Curriculum
The first batch will comprise 80 students, with 40 enrolled in each programme. The programmes are designed around an interdisciplinary structure, combining economics, data science, and business studies. This approach reflects the changing requirements of industries where professionals are increasingly expected to understand technology along with policy, markets, and human behaviour.
Funding for Infrastructure and Research
The Tata Trusts grant will support the academic roadmap of the undergraduate school, including infrastructure development, faculty recruitment, and research initiatives. The endowment will contribute towards establishing research clusters in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, algorithmic design, Indian Knowledge Systems, and applied business learning. The support will also help develop academic and residential facilities for the new school as it expands over the coming years.
Broader Context of Higher Education Funding
The partnership places IIM Bangalore’s undergraduate expansion within a wider conversation around the future of higher education funding in India, where leading institutions are increasingly looking at philanthropy to build large-scale academic ecosystems.
