The latest to join the international executive programme league is the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA). For the first time, IIMA conducted two programmes in Colombo recently, called `Innovations in Manufacturing' and `Product Policy and New Product Management' for executives of Sri Lankan companies. Both programmes were received very well.

It was a landmark achievement for IIMA because this was the first time it was organising programmes outside India as an institute. In fact, it has received several requests consequently to do similar programmes again. The institute is now planning to conduct a general management programme in Kenya in February 1999. Plus, another three overseas programmes are beingdiscussed, which may also happen next year. This looks like a move to ``export'' its expertise, says a IIMA faculty member.

Says J L Saha, director, IIM Ahmedabad: ``The basic objective of holding these programmes abroad is to take the in-house programmes to other countries. Also, it is an opportunity for our faculty members to get exposure to international business practices in another environment.''

The idea is to start with the SAARC countries and then probably progress to South-East Asia. Right now, the programmes meant for South-East Asian companies are in the planning stage, Saha adds. ``But the focus is going to be on material development and research activity,'' he explains.

Talking about the programmes in Colombo, attended by the chief executives of several Sri Lankan companies, Saha says several aspects in the area of manufacturing and product management were taken up in depth.

Explaining the concept of `product policy'. Saha says it's all about thinking of a new product and giving it to theconsumer. The project has been a hit in both India and Sri Lanka, he adds.

How did Kenya come into the picture? Replies Saha: ``A company from Kenya had sent its people for a three-tier executive programme at IIM Ahmedabad. The Kenyan company was happy with the results and wanted us to design a programme for it.''

Apart from Sri Lanka and Kenya, multinational companies of other countries have also shown interest in the IIM Ahmedabad executive programmes, Saha states. One of the MNCs is keen to send its executives based abroad to the IIM campus for the programmes, while another wants to work together with IIMA for placement, summer jobs and other programmes.

The fees for the programmes held abroad differ from case to case, says Saha. But they definitely cost more than that charged within the country. But if one compares it with the foreign agencies offering such courses abroad, IIM fees cannot be termed high, adds Saha.

Is there any difference between holding a programme in the campus and abroad? ``Nomajor difference,'' says Saha. ``Our institute is very happy with the Sri Lankan experience. In fact, both sets are happy,'' he adds.

Elaborating on the experience, Saha says: ``Sri Lanka welcomed us very warmly. They even had welcome boards at the airport and got special coverage of the programme on television.''

But there were obstacles on the way to holding overseas programmes. That's the reason why IIM Ahmedabad took this long to take its programmes out of the country. Says Saha: ``Before 1991, one had to ask for bureaucratic clearance to hold such programmes abroad. Even now, permission is required, but there aren't as many hurdles.''

Among the other institutions to hold international programmes are IIM Bangalore and the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai.

Says Ganesh N Prabhu, assistant professor, Corporate Strategy and Policy Area, IIM Bangalore: ``We hold a programme titled `Globalisation Technology and Management of Change' partly at IIMB and partly at the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (MIT), USA. We also have a joint Master's programme with INSEAD, Hitotsubashi, Lancaster, McGill.''

Says Rajesh Tanwar, manager, Corporate Relations, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS): ``NMIMS director Y K Bhushan and the dean of Academics and Management Development Programmes Rajan Saxena often conduct programmes abroad for international executives. Plus, the institute has affiliations with foreign universities from Canada, Stirling, Scotland and the UK.''

But foreign participation is not restricted to programmes abroad; such participation is invited even for executive programmes held in India. Says Saha of IIM Ahmedabad: ``Although it's a recent phenomenon, foreign participation in the IIMA programmes is picking up gradually.''

At present, the participation level by foreign companies in these programmes is around 7-10 per cent. IIM Bangalore also seeks foreign participation in its campus programmes, says Prabhu. In fact, IIMB holds a special programme forBritish Aerospace at the institute's Bangalore campus.

As Saha puts it, through internationalisation of programmes, an institute gains the experience of interacting with companies around the world.

Internationalisation includes reaching out to companies to write case studies for them and offering international programmes. Writing case studies from companies enables one to understand how people do business in other countries, Saha explains. For instance, two IIM Ahmedabad faculty members stayed in South-East Asia for a few months and wrote the case study of the economic crisis there. According to Saha, this kind of activity by the institute will increase over a period of time.

Such activities by Indian institutes are a move to establish an international presence. Plus, in the long run, such exposure provides a boost to placements and consultation.