IBM has set up an online MBA degree programme with Boston-based Northeastern University College of Business Administration for its managers in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune. With this, IBM aims to attract, keep and develop talented employees — aiming also to maintain a high quality workforce in India, where business education system still remains “underdeveloped”.

Dee Masiello, director of distance learning programmes at Northeastern University, said that the first batch of 16 IBM managers enrolled for the programme in November 2008. The second, batch consisting 14 managers, joined the course in April 2009. “The next batch will be enrolled in September this year. The target is to register a maximum of 20 managers from India to reach our first year target of 50 students for this unique online MBA course,” said Masiello. “The course is completely online, no residency requirement now,” he said. The course of study is the same case-based curriculum as Northeastern’s traditional part-time MBA.