E-Paper
IMI Kolkata hosts ISDSI Global Conference, brings B-school leaders, scholars and investors on one platform
The 19th ISDSI Global Conference at IMI Kolkata gathered business leaders and scholars from 26 countries to discuss management education's evolving role.
IMI Kolkata hosted the 19th ISDSI Global Conference from December 26 to 29, bringing together directors of leading Indian business schools, global scholars, accreditation bodies, policymakers, corporate leaders, investors and startup founders to discuss the evolving role of management education in a technology-driven and sustainability-focused economy.
The four-day conference attracted participation from 26 countries and saw the submission of 1,218 research papers and 220 business and startup ideas, spanning all 21 IIMs, leading IITs, universities, business schools and incubators. The scale of participation underscored ISDSI’s position as one of the largest global platforms for management research hosted in India.
Senior academic leaders from institutions including IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, IIM Lucknow, IIM Tiruchirappalli, IIM Ranchi, IIM Sambalpur, SPJIMR, IMT Ghaziabad, IMT Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur (VG-SOM) and others took part in plenary sessions and panel discussions. International perspectives were provided by scholars from universities in the US and New Zealand, alongside representatives from accreditation bodies such as EFMD, AACSB and AMBA-BGA.
The inaugural session was addressed by Prof. Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIM Ahmedabad, who spoke on the role of technology in achieving sustainability goals, stressing that India must harness digital innovation for broader societal impact in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Two directors’ panels anchored the academic discourse. One focused on the implications of technology and digitalisation for the future of MBA education, with speakers agreeing that while AI will transform productivity, management education must prioritise judgement, adaptability and long-term career resilience. The second panel examined the role of business schools in India’s net-zero transition, highlighting the need to embed sustainability across curriculum, research, campus operations and industry engagement.
A separate panel on Indian Knowledge Systems explored how traditional wisdom frameworks could inform contemporary leadership and organisational decision-making.
The conference also marked the launch of IMI Kolkata’s Global Investment Summit under its business incubator, IKN Innovation Foundation. Following mentoring over two months, 57 startups pitched to investors, with nine ventures securing investment commitments worth Rs. 5.1 crore.
Concluding the conference, Prof. Mohua Banerjee, Director, IMI Kolkata, said the event strengthened collaboration between academia, industry and policymakers, while Prof. Bhimaraya Metri, President, ISDSI-Global, described the 2025 edition as a landmark in advancing global management research.
