XLRI’s Indo-French-Danish Knowledge Collaboration
XLRI came together with the University of Paris-1 Pantheon Sorbonne, the University of Bordeaux, the UNESCO Chair at the University of Paris Nanterre, the Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship (a Danish government accredited alliance of vocational and skill-based education institutions), and the International Institute of Education Consortium of Universities to announce a landmark multi-country collaboration across academic programs, executive education, and research activities.
The event was held on 6th September 2025 at the India Habitat Center in New Delhi. The dignitaries from XLRI included Fr. Nelson A D’Silva, the Acting Director of XLRI’s Delhi-NCR Campus; Dr. Munish Thakur, Dean (Academics) of XLRI’s Delhi-NCR Campus; Fr. Alwyn Rodriguez, Administrator of XLRI’s Delhi-NCR Campus; and Dr. Santosh Sangem, Chairperson of International Relations and Collaborations. The dignitaries from the foreign universities included Dr. Eric Lamarque, Dean of IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School; Dr. Alberto Arubulu, Director of MBA programs and Assistant Director – International Office of IAE Bordeaux School of Management; Prof. Michael Christensen, Head of International Relations of IBC International Business School (a constituent member of the DCAC alliance); Dr. Jorge Cardoso, UNESCO Chain, University of Paris, Nanterre and Chancellor of the International Institute of Education Consortium of Universities (IIE Consortium); and Dr. Ashwani Goel, Director of the IIE Consortium. The dignitaries were welcomed and they exchanged official documents related to the alliance.
Having recently achieved the landmark platinum jubilee of delivering excellence across academic programs, executive education, and research, XLRI looks forward to further its mission of developing industry-ready professionals who will be attuned towards achieving the greater good of the nation and the world. The collaborations with reputed global universities to offer meaningful, high-quality, unique program offerings at an affordable cost to Indian students and professionals are a key element in taking XLRI to even greater heights as we look ahead to our centennial. The emphasis of these collaborations is not to travel the beaten path, but to innovate and address the unique and dynamic needs of professionals, organizations and society in a rapidly growing India of the future.
The dignitaries underscored the significance of these collaborations towards promoting Indo-French ties in education, a key element of long-term relationships between the two countries as repeatedly emphasized by the heads of state of both countries. These long-term collaborations seek to bring high-class education and a global experience through the design and delivery of industry-relevant learning experiences to Indian students and industry professionals. The ultimate goal of these collaborative initiatives is to make high-quality, affordable, industry-relevant, and unique learning experiences available to Indian students to enable them to contribute meaningfully to industry.
The collaboration discussions and activities have been in the works for nearly two years. These led to the identification and design of multiple industry-relevant specialization degrees that will be offered during 2025-26 as full-time and part-time academic programs in addition to executive education offerings. Keeping in focus the long-term evolution of the alliance, further new specialization programs and executive education programs are being actively worked upon by the teams from the institutions. The institutions look forward to strengthening their collaboration across academic programs, research, faculty and student exchange, and executive education programs over the years and develop a highly effective ecosystem for encouraging activities designed to address the needs of modern professionals and organizations. In addition, the alliance partners are actively working with other university members of the IIE consortium to identify and design multi-country experiences to develop Indian students and professionals as global leaders of the future.
Speaking at the event, Fr. Nelson D’Silva, SJ, Acting Director, XLRI: Delhi-NCR campus, expressed his excitement at being amongst the few Indian institutions that are collaborating with Sorbonne, Bordeaux, DCAC, and the IIE Consortium. He was especially pleased with the collaboration with Sorbonne, the erstwhile University of Paris, that is held in special regard by the Jesuit Community as being the alma mater of St. Francis Xavier and St. Ignatius Loyola, the founders of the Society of Jesus. He further suggested that the alliance and its functioning could become a blueprint for future initiatives by XLRI. XLRI aims to become an institution of high global standing, especially considering its plans to become a multi-disciplinary deemed to be university.
Dr. Eric Lamarque, Dean of the Sorbonne Business School, expressed his excitement for the future of the collaboration and stated that he hopes for the current alliance to provide a framework that could help other reputed French institutions as well as global members of the IIE Consortium to collaborate with XLRI and with each other. This would, in his view, play a key role in strengthening and shaping the future of Indo-French academic collaboration, especially in management education and practice. He also expressed his appreciation to the teams of all the alliance members for their tireless efforts over the last two years to conceptualize and make progress towards the start of a fulfilling long-term collaboration that has the potential to make a meaningful impact on global society and industry.
Dr. Alberto Arubulu, Director of MBA programs at Bordeaux School of Management, expressed his delight at the establishment of the collaboration that was long in the making. He thanked the teams at XLRI, Bordeaux, and the IIE Consortium for their significant efforts over the past two years to bring this collaboration to fruition.
Representing the Danish Consortium for academic craftsmanship, Prof. Michael Christensen, Head of International Relations at IBC International Business College, expressed his excitement at the opportunity to collaborate with XLRI across its entrepreneurship programs, global programs, and the co-creation and delivery of meaningful business skills-based programs and program components that would uniquely address the needs of Indian management professionals and industry.
Dr. Jorge Cardoso, Chancellor of the IIE Consortium and the UNESCO Chair at University of Paris-Nanterre expressed his excitement at witnessing the progress of the alliance and the massive efforts put in by Dr. Ashwani Goel and the teams of the member institutions in creating a first of its kind, significant collaboration in Indian management education.
Fr. George Sebastian, Director of XLRI Jamshedpur, who could not be present for the event conveyed his wishes and encouragement for the success of the collaborative efforts. He expressed his deep satisfaction and expectations for these initiatives to be successful and further XLRI’s vision of driving excellence and nurturing responsible global leaders who would contribute meaningfully towards the greater common good and a sustainable global future.
How do these Collaborations benefit Indian Students and Professionals
The collaborative offerings designed by XLRI, Sorbonne, Bordeaux, and the DCAC provide a unique opportunity to Indian students to gain a global experience with an unmatched rigor and learning experience that significantly enhances their capabilities as business professionals. By combining the strengths of these reputed institutions with highly accomplished faculty and industry connect, the programs offer unique opportunities to students to combine the fundamentals of management with advanced applications to specialized domains such as healthcare management, family business, digital business, and consulting.
The programs have been co-designed by faculty of XLRI, Sorbonne, Bordeaux, and DCAC and will be jointly delivered. In addition to these specialized domains, we are in the process of designing more specialization domain programs that address the pressing needs of the Indian Economy and Industry. There is a growing requirement from Industry for management professionals with capabilities and knowledge in management as well as a much deeper understanding of and the ability to apply such knowledge in a holistic, integrated manner to their specific industry/domain. It is in this context that the program is uniquely designed with a blend of management curriculum and industry/domain specific specializations rather than functional specializations. This allows the multi-disciplinary application of knowledge in management domains to a higher order, integrated application to specific industries. The addition of an experiential workshop component delivered by DCAC brings to the fore the integrated, practical application of learnings in the programs through its emphasis on intrapreneurship and development of an entrepreneurial mindset.
Employers across Europe and internationally are familiar with Sorbonne and Bordeaux and recognize that these universities signal academic rigor, global competence, multilingual and multicultural exposure, and strong decision-making capabilities. Many graduates from Sorbonne and Bordeaux have gone on to build their careers in multinational firms and international organizations after obtaining their degrees.
The “Diplôme national” degrees from accredited French public universities like Sorbonne and Bordeaux are official national degrees which are recognized by all EU/EEA countries in addition to most OECD and Commonwealth countries Recognized Qualification for Work Visas as meeting the academic qualification requirements for skilled workers visa categories (e.g., EU Blue Card, UK’s Skilled Worker visa, Canada’s Express Entry system). These degrees are registered in most national databases, traceable and easily verifiable by embassies and immigration authorities and are exempt from additional validation in most EU visa systems. The Sorbonne and Bordeaux degrees score highly in the evaluation of qualifications across countries.
About XLRI:
Ever since its inception in 1949, XLRI has developed its distinct identity. The hallmark of this identity is, not to walk on the beaten path, but to strike new routes; not to benchmark, but to be benchmarked; to be second to none, but to be the first to respond to the needs of the people and the nation; taking up tasks that are bold, but necessary, that which nobody has hitherto taken up. This enterprising and pioneering spirit can be witnessed throughout the history of XLRI and has helped reinforce XLRI’s position as a top-ranked premier management school in India.
Over the years, XLRI has consistently expanded its academic offerings and enhanced its infrastructure to cater to the increasing demand from students, establishing itself as a leading management institution in India. We were amongst the first management schools in India to internationalize our academic programmes. XLRI has always had and maintains a global outlook. XLRI has launched quite a few short and long-term programmes for working executives to help upgrade their management-centric knowledge base and become more competent business leaders. True to its vision, XLRI strives to offer an education which just does not culminate in a mere degree, but one that inspires future business leaders to respond to the unmet needs of the society.
A key characteristic that sets apart XLRI students from other management schools is MAGIS – a quest for the best, never to settle down for mediocrity and always aspire to excel. They relentlessly strive for more, for something better than the best. Instead of wishing circumstances to change and become different, MAGIS-driven persons either make them happen or make the most of them; instead of waiting for golden opportunities, they turn all that they touch into gold.
About Sorbonne:
Located in Paris, Sorbonne (also referred to as University of Paris) has a rich heritage and reputation in the French education system with the Sorbonne University System having been established in the year 1257 AD. The business school of Sorbonne (IAE Paris Sorbonne Business School) is extremely competitive and difficult to get in with significantly lower acceptance rates when compared to other business schools in France. Sorbonne is highly noted for their exceptional teaching, innovative pedagogy, deep industry interface, consulting activities, and research.
The academic prestige and heritage of the University of Sorbonne traces its roots back to the 13th century and remains since in Europe as the most important symbol of intellectual tradition. The University of Sorbonne has been home to nearly forty Nobel Prize, Fields Medal, and Turing Award winners across fields such as chemistry, physics, technology, and literature and includes names such as Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. In addition, it is also home to many thought leaders and globally renowned faculty across multiple disciplines. Sorbonne is the alma mater of 11 French presidents, over 50 French heads of government, three Popes, and many other political and social figures. In addition, it is also the alma mater of educated leaders of Albania, Canada, the Dominican Republic, Gabon, Guinea, Iraq, Jordan, Kosovo, Tunisia, and Niger among others.
Sorbonne boasts an extremely strong global alumni community who are well renowned in industry, academia, and government. The Sorbonne features favorably in major international university rankings such as Quacqarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE), Shanghai Rankings, and Center for World Universities Rankings (CWUR). Degrees issued by Sorbonne are recognized by employers worldwide, especially in Europe, Canada, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
The AP-HP Sorbonne University Hospital Group managed by Sorbonne is one of the six university hospital groups of the Greater Paris University Hospitals (AP-HP). It brings together seven hospitals that are part of the Sorbonne University Faculty of Health Sciences.
*About Bordeaux:*
Located in Talence, France, the University of Bordeaux, heir to a history of nearly six centuries, is a multidisciplinary university with deep regional roots that reach out to the European and international level. The university has participated in building the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and Research Area (ERA), while developing actions of international cooperation. The business school of Bordeaux (IAE Bordeaux) is prestigious and renowned for its unique, inter-disciplinary and practical approach to business studies.
The University of Bordeaux has the biggest university campus in the France and is one of the top French public universities, with strengths in science and technology, medicine, law, and social sciences. The University of Bordeaux has seven facilities within the environs of Bordeaux, and 22 sites across the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Bordeaux is also home to an extremely strong management and family business faculty having deep ties with family businesses as well as large, reputed business organizations such as .
Throughout, the University of Bordeaux has remained loyal to the intellectual and cultural values as well as the open-mindedness and freedom of thought inherited from the great figures of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. By linking research and education together, the University of Bordeaux is preparing the citizens of tomorrow and helping them become successful in both their personal and professional lives. Thanks to the lifelong learning opportunities it provides, the university continually enriches employees’ skills and transforms companies and communities.
Recognised for its capacity for innovation and awarded the “Initiative of Excellence” label, the University of Bordeaux regularly contributes to major scientific advances with its academic and socioeconomic partners in France and abroad. It ensures their transmission and facilitates their transfer to society, in line with its commitment to environmental and societal transitions. The University of Bordeaux boasts reputable alumni across academia, business, and government and is also the home to five Nobel Laureates and other reputed awards in the world of research. It features favorably in major international university rankings such as Quacqarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE), and the US News & World Report Rankings. Degrees issued by Bordeaux are recognized by employers worldwide, especially in Europe, Canada, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
About the Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship (DCAC):
The Danish Consortium for Academic Craftsmanship (DCAC) is Denmark’s largest experiential learning alliance recognized by the Government of Denmark. DCAC consists of four VET colleges and universities as primary members and also has other academic partners in Denmark. Together, they offer over 150 vocational, experiential learning, and higher education programs across 32 campuses, serving approximately 20,000 full-time students annually.
DCAC collaborates with academic institutions, businesses, and other organizations (government and non-government) to develop tailor-made educational programmes which prepare students for the requirements of the future labour market in countries worldwide. These programs offered by DCAC are typically accredited by the Danish Government. DCAC also has entered into agreements with the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Government of India), the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skill Development (Government of India), the Bodoland Territorial Council, and the Living Lab Institute (an India initiative of the International Consortium of Universities, Paris) to offer various programs to help promote the entrepreneurial and small-business ecosystem in India.
The IBC Innovation Factory is an educational facility at the Kolding campus of the IBC International Business College (a constituent of DCAC) that is also the fourth largest business school in Denmark. The It offers comprehensive education in business-related fields, emphasizing practical learning experiences and preparing students for success in the global business arena.The Innovation Factory conducts various training programs relating to the design and delivery of programs related to entrepreneurship development, ESG, climate change and innovation, managing incubation centers, ideation, scale-up, design thinking, business design, innovation & design, logistics, fashion and merchandising, and various other programs targeted at furthering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. With extremely deep ties in business and social ecosystems in Denmark and in Europe, DCAC supports its global university partners through the design, management, and delivery of hands-on experiences for their students through several immersive workshops.
About the IIE Consortium of International Universities
The IIE Consortium of International Universities was conceptualized and founded by leading French Public Institutions to achieve the objective of creating meaningful global partnerships and alliances in education and research that would further the objective of making high quality global education accessible to students around the world.
In addition to the French member institutions, the IIE Consortium now comprises nearly 30 member institutions from across Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Latin America, North America, South Asia, and South-East Asia who share the emphasis on designing and delivering high quality affordable education. The consortium is rapidly growing and extending its membership to select institutions in these regions.
The consortium facilitates coordination and cooperation between its member institutions by helping them identify suitable member university partners for their collaboration plans as well as working closely with them to design and operationalize the outcomes of these collaborations. Being a consortium conceptualized and managed by reputed academicians; the consortium emphasizes excellence in education as the primary criteria for identifying and inviting potential global member partners to ensure that meaningful alliances are created between the member partners. All member institution partners of the consortium are well-known in their home countries for their innovative approaches to crafting impactful learning experiences for students.
The consortium provides an opportunity for like-minded member institutions to extend their strengths to outside of their home countries by leveraging the strengths of other member partners of the consortium. This also provides these institutions an opportunity to extend their presence to a global arena that was hitherto not possible for various reasons including the availability of resources, low awareness about the institutions outside their home countries, and regulatory requirements.
