With the education sector moving online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, aspiring management students are now speculating if an on-campus management degree will offer any added value compared to online or distance courses. To make a decision, students should ask themselves: “which phase of their career are they in?” And “what qualification or skill set is the industry looking for in these unprecedented times?”
Pros and cons
Distance management courses are short and flexible allowing students to learn at their own pace, whereas on-campus programmes have a more rigorous approach and focus on holistic development through academic and non-academic activities.
The latter has a structured environment where ideas are exchanged between peer groups and faculty, giving students an experience of teamwork and collaboration. Peer-to-peer communication is another great attribute of on-campus regular learning, as students begin to build relationships with future industry colleagues. Interpersonal interactions help develop emotional intelligence and other skills that are always in high demand. An on-campus PGDM programme will also offer more activities and facilities such as alumni networks, mentorship, placement cells and clubs.
On the other hand, for working executives who seek to advance their career, a distance PGDM is a perfect choice. While they lack the collaborative efforts of an on-campus programme, a distance programme allows the pursuit of other short-term courses or internships to gain first-hand experience.
What industries look for
When hiring freshers, most industries prefer candidates with exposure to the business world through internships. In the post-COVID world, businesses will look at work-from-home resources, and virtual interning would have given freshers a chance to observe remote working corporate culture. Many B-schools offer virtual internships to their students for the sake of global exposure.
Thus, in the post-COVID19 scene, blended learning is likely to emerge as the new concept. Though digital education is on the rise, it cannot replace the quality of holistic learning that a campus provides. What we cannot negotiate is the crucial role digital learning will play in the future in on-campus regular education as tech-skills are must to succeed in the 21st century.
The writer is Director, JK Business School.
