Harvard Business Review (HBR) cases are widely recognised as a fundamental component of management education, particularly in MBA programs. They offer a structured platform for students to analyse, debate, and develop strategic solutions by simulating real-world challenges that organisations encounter. These cases are indispensable resources for MBA students as they prepare them for the smallest details of the business world by encouraging critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, and decision-making, which are hallmarks of academic rigour.

Sri Balaji University, Pune conducted an intensive three days training program for the faculties of SBUP that was conducted by a reputed faculty from IIMA. This training session equipped the faculties to be eligible for conducing HBR case studies more effectively.

To align student managers with the vision of the University, the above cases were introduced in two phases:

1. Minor Cases – around 5 to 6 pages 2. Major Cases – around 12 to 14 pages

To add a surprise element, the faculties conducting the HBR cases introduced different angles to the cases for individual specialisation and a unique assignment for every class ensured that the surprise element was maintained.

The student managers were well prepared with the case (pre-reads) and that helped the faculties discuss the case study more effectively. The entire exercise was well-received by the student managers and faculties.

EdX, a prominent online education portal, provides a variety of courses that have been developed by esteemed institutions, including Stanford, and Harvard. These courses offer a high-quality education that is accessible to a global audience. The platform is renowned for its emphasis on academic rigour, providing content that is reflective of the breadth and depth of traditional university courses. EdX courses facilitate the attainment of academic and professional excellence by integrating practical applications with theoretical knowledge.

At Sri Balaji University, Pune, EdX courses are introduced for Semester I and Semester II students. To make students aware of the importance of self-paced learning and gain in depth knowledge about their subjects apart from classroom sessions, EdX is introduced as 1-credit course worth 50 marks. Apart from this, individual subjects are mapped.

The Certificates generated from the portal are verified for allotting internal evaluation. The EdX initiative helps the students with Quality content, structured learning pathways, critical thinking and application, along with valid certificates. These certificates help the student managers to gain additional knowledge at their own pace.

Coursera is a renowned online portal that is famous in the academic circles for its rigorous academic offerings, which combines theory and practical applications to promote the development of critical thinking and skills. Coursera provides a comprehensive academic development framework that is consistent with the most stringent academic standards, ranging from entry-level courses to advanced professional certificates. In order to cater to a global audience high-quality, accessible education, Coursera designs many courses based on specialisation from across the globe.

At Sri Balaji University, Pune, Coursera is introduced as an internal component of assessment for student managers of Semester III. On an average, 13 hours of study hours are mapped with relevant subjects for the benefit of student managers at SBUP. An approximate 1016 students of Semester III have been benefitted by undergoing this self-paced training module.

Understanding the importance of continuous learning, SBUP provides Coursera Certification Course for Professional Development of Faculty members. It is mandatory for every faculty to complete 2 certification course every month for professional development, in such a way that one course is relevant to the specialisation of the faculty while the other needs to be outside the specialisation domain.

The Expertly designed curriculum along with inter disciplinary integration followed by rigorous assessments in the form of quizzes, and peer-reviewed assignments ensure the enhancement of knowledge of learners at all levels.

LinkedIn Learning, a widely-used online education platform, provides courses that are designed to nurture personal growth, career advancement, and skill development. Although the platform's primary focus is on professional and technical skills, it also integrates elements of academic rigour by providing structured, high-quality content that has been developed by industry experts and educators. LinkedIn Learning is a valuable resource for learners in both academic and professional settings due to its emphasis on practical application, accessibility, and flexibility. It is a self-paced learning tool that adds power to the academic rigour initiative.

At Sri Balaji University, Pune, LinkedIn Learning is introduced to bring an academic rigour in Tech Specialisation MBA batches. These batches include Business Analytics and Data Science, Business Analytics and Digital Marketing, as well as Business Analysis and Product Management.

LinkedIn learnings are most preferred courses due to its expert-curated content, comprehensive curriculum combined with practical applications and integration for professional development. The immediate linkage with LinkedIn portal helps the student managers as well as learners to gain credible knowledge with valid certifications that increases their employability quotient.