Global Immersion Beckons: IIM Bangalore Partners with Hiroshima University for Virtual Exchange

IIMB’s BBA(DBE) Programme Democratises Business Education for Indian Youth

Five students from the Bachelor of Business Administration in Digital Business and Entrepreneurship (BBA(DBE)) programme at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore were reported to have been selected for a fully funded two-week international immersion at Hiroshima University, Japan. The initiative, part of the prestigious AGILE COIL programme, was said to be scheduled from 1 to 12 September 2025 and would centre around the theme of the Circular Economy, in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities. The workshop was expected to promote collaborative, cross-cultural learning among international students through hands-on engagement and innovation. The selected participants, Shreya Jain, Dhruv Deepak Bagla, Garv Agarwal, Parinistaa Sugandhi, and Arin Prakash, were understood to be working alongside peers from partner institutions, applying entrepreneurial thinking, leadership capabilities, and technological tools to address pressing global concerns such as urban planning, IoT, waste management, renewable energy, and climate resilience. This development was described as a landmark for IIM Bangalore, which had become the first institution in India to send undergraduate students from a fully online BBA degree programme for an international immersion of such scale.

Commentators noted that the initiative represented a significant advancement for the BBA University model, 
particularly in relation to the IIM Bangalore courses offered under the BBA(DBE) programme. Introduced in 2024, the programme had reportedly attracted over 1,000 students from 359 cities across India in its first year. It was said to follow a modular, industry-relevant curriculum that integrated business administration fundamentals with emerging digital competencies, immersive projects, and global exposure. It was further indicated that the workshop’s emphasis on the circular economy would provide students with exposure to real-world innovations, including Japan’s Digital Product Passport for sustainable apparel, mobile circulatory recycling systems for food waste, and India’s evolving plastic waste management frameworks. These case studies were expected to help participants understand how circularity could be applied across diverse sectors, ranging from textiles and electronics to urban infrastructure and agriculture.

The programme was reported to be coordinated by IIMB Bangalore’s Mizuho India Japan Study Centre (MIJSC), which had shortlisted students based on academic merit and performance in virtual modules. Established in 2017 with support from Mizuho Bank, MIJSC was said to promote Indo-Japanese understanding through research, teaching, and policy outreach. It was also known to facilitate executive education, lean manufacturing programmes, and cultural exchange initiatives, thereby serving as a key driver of bilateral academic collaboration. The AGILE COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) initiative, developed in partnership with Hiroshima University and supported by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), was understood to aim at fostering global university collaboration, leadership, and citizenship among learners from India and Japan. Since the academic year 2024–25, students from IIMB’s BBA(DBE) programme have reportedly been participating in the virtual Module 4 Entrepreneurship component, receiving academic mentorship and a digital badge from Hiroshima University.

It was explained that COIL pedagogy represented a transformative model of global learning, connecting classrooms across borders through collaborative projects. By enabling students to co-create solutions with international peers, the model was said to cultivate intercultural competence, critical thinking, and teamwork. The virtual format was believed to ensure equitable access and prepare students for global collaboration, with the in-person immersion serving as a natural progression of this digital engagement. The September 2025 workshop was expected to be the first in-person experience for select high-performing students, with all travel, accommodation, and internal expenses reportedly sponsored by the Japanese government.

Student reflections were said to have added a personal dimension to the initiative. Parinistaa Sugandhi was quoted as believing that being part of IIM Bangalore meant upholding values of innovation, critical thinking, and inclusivity, principles she felt resonated with Hiroshima University’s global vision. Shreya Jain was understood to be interested in exploring how cultural contexts influenced leadership and innovation, while Arin Prakash was said to be particularly keen to observe the practical application of circular economy principles. It was further reported that Professor Suresh Bhagavatula, from IIMB’s Entrepreneurship area, would be visiting Hiroshima University during the workshop to explore potential avenues for research collaboration. His research was said to span entrepreneurship and social networks, with a focus on how social capital influenced entrepreneurial success. His work, which included studies on low-tech industries such as handloom clusters and high-tech ecosystems in India, was considered a valuable contribution to Indo-Japanese academic dialogue.

The initiative was also viewed as part of a broader trend in global university collaboration, wherein institutions co-developed programmes, shared research infrastructure, and promoted student mobility. Examples cited included dual-degree programmes, joint research centres, and transnational education models that were believed to enhance institutional prestige, accelerate innovation, and foster global equity. This international immersion underscores IIM Bangalore’s commitment to preparing globally competent leaders through innovation, sustainability, and academic excellence.

Editor’s Note

The selection of five students from IIM Bangalore’s pioneering BBA in Digital Business and Entrepreneurship (BBA(DBE)) programme for a fully funded international immersion at Hiroshima University is a development that goes far beyond a student exchange. It represents a telling shift in the higher education landscape, where global exposure and cross-cultural collaboration are becoming not privileges, but necessities for future-ready leaders.
The AGILE COIL initiative, backed by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, combines online collaboration with in-person immersion. Its focus on the circular economy is significant, aligning student learning with global priorities such as climate resilience, urban sustainability, and responsible innovation. By engaging with case studies from Japan and India, such as digital product passports for sustainable apparel and evolving waste management frameworks, students are not only studying best practices but also shaping solutions for the future of sustainable cities.

From an institutional perspective, IIM Bangalore has marked a milestone by placing undergraduate students of a fully online BBA programme at the centre of international academic collaboration. This is not only a first in India but also a clear signal that well-designed digital education models can create pathways to global exposure. The Mizuho India Japan Study Centre’s role underscores the value of institutional partnerships in bridging cultural and academic divides while opening avenues for research in entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact. Student feedback highlights a desire to challenge assumptions, embrace diversity, and apply theory, reflecting a mindset of curiosity, adaptability, and responsibility crucial for global higher education. This initiative underscores universities' evolving role as hubs for global citizenship, redefining higher education through cross-border knowledge creation and problem-solving. For India, it validates the transformative potential of visionary online education.

Skoobuzz asserts that IIM Bangalore's international immersion at Hiroshima University is more than an academic exercise; it's a statement of intent to nurture globally competent, tech-savvy leaders committed to sustainable progress. If sustained, such initiatives could elevate Indian institutions to co-creators of education's future.