How Industry-Academia Partnerships are Redefining Online Education

How Industry-Academia Partnerships are Redefining Online Education

#MBA
Atul AdeUpdated on 21 May 2025, 12:24 PM IST

Technology has changed the landscape of education. We can now get a degree sitting at our home or from any location from top-tier universities. Online degree courses are not just providing an academic curriculum beyond on-campus classrooms but also made industry-based learning possible.

How Industry-Academia Partnerships are Redefining Online Education
How Industry-Academia Partnerships are Redefining Online Education

Many top universities like IIT Madras, Amity Online, and Manipal Online are providing market-relevant online degree courses in collaboration with industry leaders and global universities.

For instance, Amity Online offers new specialisations in collaboration with HCL Technologies for industry-based experience. Manipal Online allows students to choose from 10,000+ courses and professional certifications from global universities while pursuing their online degree. These industry collaborations help students bridge their skills gap and enhance their knowledge while providing them with practical exposure.

Why Industry-Academia Partnerships Matter in Online Education

Employers these days are giving more importance to skills compared to just having academic excellence. The academic knowledge is not enough to thrive in a competitive market, and this has made industry-academia collaborations very important.

The World Economic Forum's 2023 Future of Jobs Report projects that by 2025, automation will replace 85 million jobs and that workers' core competencies will shift by 40 per cent. Another report from the World Economic Forum highlights the importance of upskilling for staying competitive in the job market.

The "India's Graduate Skill Index: 2023" report found that only 45 per cent of graduates in India who apply for jobs are employable, with the skills to meet the industry’s rapidly-changing demands. Additionally, the ‘Coursera Learner Outcomes Report 2023’ revealed that more than 87 per cent of candidates in industry-integrated programmes found them more effective, making them well prepared for job hunting.

These and other studies show how important industry-academic partnerships are in today’s job market. Industry-academia collaborations provide industry-relevant curriculum that help learners to stay up-to-date with industry trends. It also provides hands-on experience to candidates via live sessions, real-world business projects, internships, and case studies.

Also Read: How Do Online Degrees Shape the Digital Leaders of Tomorrow?

Advantages of Industry-Academia Collaboration in Online Programs

Industry-academia collaboration helps create a more dynamic, relevant, and skill-oriented education system. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises the importance of industry-academia collaboration for skill-based education, collaborative research, practical exposure, and global competitiveness.

Here are the advantages of industry-academia collaboration in online programs:

  • Skill Enhancement
    Online degree programmes with industry-academia partnerships provide an industry-aligned curriculum. Candidates will learn the latest technological tools and gain skills to keep pace with rapidly changing industry needs..

  • Mentorship & Networking
    Candidates get the opportunity to interact with diverse peer groups, global faculty, and industry experts. They receive personalised mentorship from alumni, faculty and experts and enhance their networking at a global level.

  • Industry Certifications
    Alongside their degree programmes, learners can pursue courses and professional certifications from leading global universities.

  • Practical Learning
    Industry-academia collaboration helps graduates get practical learning with real-world business scenarios. They can gain hands-on experience through internships, industry projects, and capstone projects.

  • Internships & Job Readiness
    Candidates can get internship opportunities, apprenticeships, and hands-on training with real-world experience that enhance their employability.

Also Read: Online Learning in 2025: What to Expect?

The Role of Industry-Academia Partnership Model in Online Education

Industry-academia partnerships provide industry-relevant online programmes. These programmes majorly focus on market-based learning, providing practical exposure. Here is how industry-academia partnership model works in online education:

Co-creation of curriculum design: Faculty and Industry experts collaboratively design curriculum, ensuring both theoretical rigor and practical relevance.

Technology infrastructure collaboration: Universities partner with technology companies for advanced platforms, tools, and training to enhance the online learning experience.

Integrated Internship Models: Several universities offering online programmes collaborate with top companies to provide internships to their students. The internship model is embedded within the curriculum.

Enterprise employee education programs: Companies partner with universities to develop customised online programmes for their employees to meet specific organisational needs.

Also Check: New To Online Learning? What Beginners Should Know

Industry-academia partnerships serve a crucial purpose to enhance the effectiveness of online degree courses. These collaborations provide learners with in-demand skills and hands-on experience with real-world business problems, enhancing their employability through personalised mentoring.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the impact of industry-academia collaboration for students?
A:

The industry-academia collaboration has numerous benefits for students, including skill development, collaborative research, global competitiveness, continuous learning, and increased career opportunities.

Q: Is there any government policy for industry-academia partnership in online education?
A:

Yes, the NEP 2020 emphasises the importance of industry-academia collaboration to create a skill-oriented education system. UGC has also introduced the Professor of Practice (PoP) initiative to bring industry professionals into academic institutions.

Q: What are the examples of industry-academia partnerships in online education?
A:

Some major examples include industry-led projects, workshops and webinars, co-creation of online programmes, and internship and placement programs.

Q: What are the benefits of industry-academia partnerships in online education?
A:

Some of the benefits of industry-academia partnerships are industry-aligned curriculum, access to industry expertise, real-world learning experience, and enhanced employability.

Q: What is an industry-academia partnership in online education?
A:

An industry-academia partnership in online education is a collaboration between educational institutions and businesses or industries to enhance the relevance and practical application of online learning.

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Questions related to MBA

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to MBA ?

Hello, the MBA in Finance at Andhra Mahila School of Informatics is a 2 year program where you’ll study subjects like accounting, financial management, and strategy along with projects and internships. The total fee is around 90,000. Placements are decent, with an average package of about 3.5 to 4 LPA, and companies like Deloitte, Infosys, and ICICI visit the campus. If you stay focused and build skills, you can get good opportunities through the placement cell.

Yes, you can pursue an MBA at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU), Lucknow, through the CAT exam.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Educational Qualification: A bachelor's degree with at least 50% marks (45% for SC/ST/PwD candidates) from a recognized university.

  • Entrance Exam: A valid CAT score is required for admission.

Admission Process:

  1. Application: Register online through the BBAU admission portal.

  2. Entrance Exam: Appear for the CAT exam and obtain a valid score.

  3. Counseling: Shortlisted candidates will be called for counseling based on their CAT scores.

  4. Document Verification: Submit necessary documents for verification.

  5. Fee Payment: Complete the fee payment to confirm admission.

Course Details:

  • Duration: 2 years (full-time).

  • Specializations: Finance, Marketing, Human Resource Management, among others.

Placement Opportunities:
BBAU has a strong placement record, with top companies recruiting MBA graduates.

For more details and to apply, visit the  official BBAU MBA admission page

Yes Anil, after completing GNM with 4 years of experience, you are eligible to pursue MBA or PGDM. It’s a good option if you want to grow into hospital administration, healthcare management, or pharma management roles. Institutes like Goa Institute of Management (Healthcare PGDM), Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences, or even General MBA programs in reputed B-schools can be considered. Your professional experience will add strong value during admission and placements. I would personally suggest going for a Healthcare/Hospital Management specialization to align with your background.

The best MBA courses in India are mostly offered by IIMs, ISB, FMS Delhi, XLRI, and also by IITs that run management schools.

According to the QS Global MBA Rankings 2025, IIM Bangalore is the top MBA institute in India, followed by IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Calcutta. ISB Hyderabad also ranks high in both Indian and global rankings. The Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2025 place ISB Hyderabad at 27 worldwide, IIM Ahmedabad at 31, and IIM Bangalore at 57. These show that Indian business schools have a strong global presence.

The IIRF 2025 ranking puts IIM Ahmedabad in first place overall. FMS Delhi is ranked second and is known for being affordable with very good placements. IIM Calcutta and IIM Bangalore are also among the best. For executive MBA programs, ISB Hyderabad is considered the top school in Asia.

IITs also run respected MBA programs. IIT Delhi (DMS) and IIT Bombay (SJMSOM) are considered the best among them. They are good options especially for those interested in operations, analytics, and technology management.

In summary, the most recognized and best courses for MBA in India are at IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, and ISB Hyderabad. FMS Delhi is also an excellent option if you want strong placements with very low fees. IIT business schools like IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay also provide very good opportunities, especially if you want to combine management with a technical background.

Hello,

Here are some of the top MBA colleges in Mumbai:

  • IIM Mumbai (NITIE)

  • SJMSOM, IIT Bombay

  • SPJIMR

  • JBIMS

  • NMIMS (School of Business Management)

  • K J Somaiya Institute of Management

  • TISS Mumbai

  • Welingkar (WeSchool)

  • SDA Bocconi Asia Center

If you are looking for top placement and brand value , IIM Mumbai, SJMSOM, SPJIMR and JBIMS are the best.
For affordable options with good ROI , TISS and JBIMS stand out.

Hope it helps !