The world of business academia is a fascinating and fulfilling one. It is ideal for people who are passionate about research and want to deeply comprehend the underpinnings of business and contribute to academic and practical knowledge. If you are reading my message, then you are probably already aware of this world and are possibly exploring the idea of pursuing a PhD in a business discipline. You have come to the right place indeed!
The PhD program at IIMU is designed on the lines of similar programs at top business schools across the world. The program is very different from typical MBA programs with respect to the program structure and the expected outcome at the end of the program. The PhD coursework is completely different from the MBA coursework. The PhD students at IIMU are expected to become faculty members at reputed institutions after graduating from the PhD program. If you have the grit and determination to sail through the challenges of a demanding PhD program and if you aspire to join the venerable world of business academia as a faculty member following your PhD, then IIMU’s PhD program is for you!
The program is not for you if any one of the following is true:
We look for passionate candidates who we believe have the potential to survive half a decade of grueling research and coursework, persevere all uncertainties associated with a doctoral program, and serve as brand ambassadors for our PhD program through their continued work as faculty members at institutes of eminence and high reputation.
You can expect to spend five years pursuing a PhD at IIMU, generally with full financial support. The PhD journey typically comprises two years of coursework and building your foundation in research skills, followed by three years of complete focus on conducting rigorous research. IIMU will assign additional academic duties to you from time to time. Through your PhD thesis, you must demonstrate evidence of having generated high-quality original research to graduate from the program. At this point, I should warn you that your publication outcomes might not necessarily be proportionate to the effort that you will put in for conducting research. This is especially true if you aspire to publish in the highest quality global journals. Rest assured that throughout your journey of navigating the uncertainties and grind of a PhD, you will continuously receive guidance from our outstanding faculty members who are themselves highly motivated for publishing in globally reputed journals.
IIM Udaipur began its journey more than a decade ago with a focus on research excellence, which is still unique for a new business school. IIM Udaipur is ranked 4th among all business schools in India by the most prestigious University of Texas Dallas (UTD) ranking system in terms of the research contribution in the elite UTD journals over the past five years. Research excellence is thus in the school’s DNA. I cannot emphasize enough how keen our faculty members are for publishing high-quality research in globally reputed journals.
Consequently, our faculty members hold our PhD students to the same standards to which they hold themselves. Therefore, the training in business research that you will receive here is almost unparalleled in the country. This unique aspect of our school is why you must consider pursuing a PhD at IIMU. In other words, if you want to be a well-known researcher in your field by publishing high-quality work, then your incentives are already aligned with ours! Come, join us!
IIM Udaipur is a relatively new entrant within the competitive space of Indian b-schools. Interestingly, this is also the biggest source of strength for our PhD program. That is because the PhD program at IIMU is devoid of any baggage from the past. The program is tailored in a way that would facilitate the transformation of the doctoral students into researchers whose work would be contemporarily and globally relevant. The lack of any past administrative or structural baggage enables us to remain flexible in continuously monitoring the program’s efficacy and redesigning it to keep the program relevant for the ever-changing realm of business and society. Furthermore, at IIMU, we consider our PhD students to be co-researchers and not underlings. I am sure you will enjoy being guided throughout your PhD journey by outstanding faculty members in a friendly environment.
I am proud to represent our highly aspirational PhD program. As an academic institution, we aspire to scale great heights in research excellence. Our PhD program is designed and administered keeping our aspirations in mind. If you too are passionate about research and aspire to scale great heights in business academia, I invite you to apply to our PhD program. Good luck!
Prof. Avijit Raychaudhuri Faculty, Operations Management, Quantitative Methods, and Information Systems Chairperson, PhD Program
