In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0, those working in the banking and finance world have realized that they need to reach the balance of providing customers the technology needed to stay competitive without losing that “personal touch”. Banks and other financial institutions are looking for eligible graduates who can achieve this balance and sync with the rapidly changing industry requirements with ease. To materialize such exceptional professionals, educational institutions must ensure a robust curriculum that caters to the “now” requirements of the industry. The students must be provided with an avenue to imbibe qualities that can reflect well in a professional setting. This could be one reason why industrial giants like Axis Bank, JP Morgan Chase, ICICI Bank and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, HDFC Bank, Capital First, Federal Bank and Aeon Credit Services flock towards Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF), offering SSBF graduates with profiles like Global Finance and Business Management Analyst, Relationship Manager, Wealth Manager, Credit Manager, Operation, Sales MSE, Channel Officer, Retail Branch Banking, etc. If this does not prove that SSBF is a game-changer in its domain, then maybe this will: Mr. Hardik Mehta, an SSBF alumni, is now holding a managerial position in the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Established in 2010, SSBF caters exclusively to the needs of the Banking, Finance and Insurance (BFSI) sector for the students aspiring to make a high-flying career in this domain. Always mindful of the industry requirements, SSBF was, till 2013, centered around shaping reliable professionals by offering full-fledged residential MBA in Banking and Finance to cater to the Public sector banks. After 2013, according to directions of honorable Bombay High Court, SSBF shifted its focus from public sector banks to private sector companies in the BFSI domain.
Around-The-Year Updated Curriculum
A constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU), SSBF offers a full time, two-year residential MBA program in Banking and Finance that focuses on preparing students to be industry-ready professionals who stand out in the BFSI sector. Understanding that there are various roles in the BFSI industry like Financial and Business Analytics to Credit Management and Asset and Wealth Management, SSBF changes its program structure yearly, thus making it futuristic based on inputs from industry experts. “Our MBA programs offer an in-depth knowledge, encompassing the multiple aspects of the BFSI industry. Our MBA in Banking and Finance program is designed to disseminate relevant knowledge and provide skills to students such that they function effectively in the challenging environment of banking, finance, and insurance sector. SSBF ensures to develop and provide talent with right skills to the industry when skilled and employable resources are scarce in the market,” says Dr. Manisha Ketkar, Director and Professor, Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance.
Ensuring Holistic Development
Incorporated in Pune, SSBF missions to build capabilities in students and professionals of the BFSI Sector by developing their competencies, skills, and values by offering an environment conducive to research and innovation, internationalization, and fostering sustainable business strategy. It also intends to provide a teaching-learning environment that appreciates and encourages socio-cultural diversity amongst students, faculty, and staff. Aiming to contribute to community development by spreading financial awareness and education to the economically deprived section of the society, SSBF also works towards ensuring the holistic development of students. Preparing students to confidently face the conundrums that Industry revolution will bring, SSBF has a trusted team of faculty experts who have not only served in the industry but are also committed to excellence in teaching and research. These experts ensure that the classroom environment is interactive where participative learning permits a free flow of ideas between faculty and students.
Since Banking and Finance is a specialized domain, the role of faculty member does not limit to taking classes but one that of a facilitator, imparting and building the theoretical foundation of the field and stimulating learners to think critically in practice. Given the number of qualified and experienced academicians that SSBF has appointed as its teachers, there exists a healthy faculty-student ratio. The focus of mentoring at SSBF is on psychological support, advancement in the academic career and professional development of the mentee.
Impelling Student Exchange Programs
Along the same lines, SSBF has in place student exchange programs with international universities like Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL), Germany; Macquarie University, Australia; Leibniz University, Hannover; University of Bremen, Germany; Steinbeis University, Germany; and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. SSBF’s semester exchange programs expose students to multifaceted learning approaches and generate interest in cross-cultural and global issues unleashing them to new knowledge horizons. Besides, SSBF’s student organization, Corporate Interface Team, invites industry experts to deliver guest lectures to share their knowledge and experience on varied topics such as Data Analytics, Growth and prospects in the banking industry, Cryptocurrency, Financial Journalism, and Budget Analysis, etc. which helps students to keep themselves updated.
Director and Professor
Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance (SSBF), Pune
A Commerce graduate and a Fellow Cost Accountant (FCMA), Dr. Manisha Ketkar has completed her Master’s in Business Studies (MBS) from the University of Pune. She has done her Ph.D. in ‘Study of supply risk management practices’ with Symbiosis International (Deemed University) under the guidance of Dr. O. S. Vaidya from IIM Lucknow. An expert in arenas like Cost & Management Accounting and Supply Chain Management, Dr. Ketkar brings to the table over 29 years of experience. She has presented papers in International Conferences and to her credit has published several papers. Having handled the operations of a business unit of a pharmaceutical multinational for over 16 years, she joined the Symbiosis family in 2006. Her passion for education can be seen in her interactive teaching approach. She is well-known for her innovative approach to improvements,
from student-related matters to process reengineering.
Similarly, SSBF also has signed an MoU with BAIF for the field visit where students interact with the community in the rural areas and understand ongoing projects, facets of microfinance and their business model for livelihood. SSBF has also partnered with the Association of International Wealth Management of India (AIWMI) to offer the prestigious global certification- Certified Credit Research Analyst (CCRA). The tie-ups maintained by SSBF further help in facilitating the teaching. “We are an educational partner to Bajaj Finserv, as a part of which, they offer a certification program in Banking, Finance, Insurance and Business Communication for fresh graduates and final year students who are seeking jobs after their graduation. SSBF has developed content for all the modules and conducts Train The Trainer programs to run this certification program PAN India. SSBF has designed the curriculum and deliver the program in batches. We have developed training and student manuals for Certificate Program in Banking, Finance, and Insurance (CPBFI). SSBF runs this program along with Bajaj Finserv under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) head,” says Dr. Manisha.
Likewise, SSBF has also collaborated with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to develop content for National University Student’s Skill development, a project initiated by TISS to increase the employability of the university students by imparting knowledge and skills. SSBF has also conducted training programs for Bank of Maharashtra, Union Bank of India, Dena Bank, Bank of Baroda and Yes Bank
Recognizing And Empowering The Deserving
Providing avenues for underprivileged students to pursue their career, SSBF has signed an MoU with CRIF High Mark for giving scholarships worth Rs. 1,00,000 to deserving students based on their academic performance and the family’s financial condition. SSBF also recognizes outstanding students and award them with trophies for their achievements.
Moving forward, SSBF plans to provide more industry-relevant certifications to the students, up-gradation of program structure based on technological changes and industry needs and will continue to organize sessions of industry experts. “We are in the process of designing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) for effective dissemination of finance knowledge across varied segments. SSBF also would like to establish itself as a distinct training provider for conducting various domain, managerial and leadership programs for corporates in the BFSI sector. SSBF is in the process of signing an MoU with the Indian Institute of Banking and Finance (IIBF) and other corporates for conducting training programs for aspiring minds and upskilling existing human capital in the BFSI industry,” says Dr. Manisha. Soon, SSBF would also be seen organizing BFSI Leadership Summit to showcase the capabilities and training infrastructure to the top leadership in the BFSI sector.
The X-Factor
One of the leading B-Schools in adopting innovative practices of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Automation, the institute leverages various portals and platforms to groom students in current tech trends like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) and the practical implementation of it in the industry. Likewise, the students are introduced to various technological tools and platforms like Bloomberg, Capitaline, R programming, SQL, Advance Excel, etc. which help them familiarize themselves with technological advancements. SSBF has also partnered with EduCBA (Online training provider) to provide 700+ online modules in the finance domain to the students to have an edge over other MBA students. It ensures to gain additional knowledge on various aspects of the Finance domain and gives the students an edge over other MBA graduates.