On February 1st, at the 2016 Deans Conference, AACSB International (AACSB), the global accrediting body and membership association for business schools, recognized GBSN member school, S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR), as a global leader in innovation and creativity of business education.
“It is my pleasure to recognize SPJIMR for its role in spearheading ingenuity within the business education landscape,” said Thomas R. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of AACSB International. “As AACSB celebrates 100 years of improving quality management education worldwide, it is important for those within and outside of the industry to be reminded of the vision, leadership, and innovative thinking business schools bring to the table. Through our ‘Innovations That Inspire’ recognition, SPJIMR stands as a testament to how business schools are driving positive impact within their communities and society at large, through their groundbreaking practices and continuous focus on excellence.”
SPJIMR was recognized for the submission of their zero-cost social media campaign #iamspjimr. The combination of timed stakeholder outreach and messaging, along with the occasion of Teacher’s Day, created an opportunity for students to showcase the school’s brand and generate high engagement.
Students co-created a campaign alongside senior alumni and faculty through an email group. The idea that emerged was that, on a voluntary basis, in a two-hour window, S.P. Jain stakeholders (faculty, staff, students, alumni) would describe a way in which the institute has touched their lives with the hashtag #Iamspjimr. Emails were sent out to all internal stakeholders and alumni. Each alum who was part of the co-creating team reached out to his or her network. The alumni included some of the top names in digital marketing, and the campaign strategy itself was completely co-created.
The campaign generated great pride and deep sentiment, and trended number one in India on Twitter as well as Mumbai. These accomplishments were achieved at zero cost. The campaign reached over 2,500,000 across the country. Many alumni told stories of how their alma mater had touched their lives and instilled strong core values.
The relevance of campaign shouldn’t be understated. When thinking about schools and universities, the focus tends to be on the current student body. The greater impact of those that have long since passed through the halls can be difficult to measure often overlooked. Using social media to engage with the alumni and the greater community the institution serves sheds light on the true value of SPJIMR. The testimony speaks to the success of SPJIMR and how it continues to shape students and the future of India.
About AACSB International
Founded in 1916, AACSB is an association of more than 1,450 educational institutions, businesses, and other organisations in 90 countries and territories. AACSB’s mission is to advance quality management education worldwide through accreditation, thought leadership, and value-added services. As the premier accreditation body for institutions offering undergraduate, master’s, and doctorate degrees in business and accounting, AACSB offers a wide array of services to the management education industry. AACSB’s global headquarters is located in Tampa, Florida, USA; its Asia Pacific headquarters is located in Singapore; and itsEurope, Middle East, and Africa headquarters is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
About SPJIMR
S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) (http://www.spjimr.org ) is a constituent of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and is ranked among the top ten business schools of India. As a premier school of management, SPJIMR is noted for pedagogic innovations and pioneering programmes which have helped the Institute stand out for its unique and distinctive path in management education.
Brennon Thompson is a Communications Intern at Global Business School Network