The School of Business (SOB) at the Assam Kaziranga University has launched a brand new MBA Programme in Event Management, a first-of-its-kind, campus-based, 2-year programme, to be conducted in association with the renowned Bangalore-based event management institute, team.i. The programme was launched at a press conference held at the University premises on 22nd March, 2019, in the presence of the honourable Pro-Chancellor, Shri Basant Khetan, Vice Chancellor, Dr. P.K. Mishra, and Director, Ms. Rainy Khetan, along with Mr. Harisha Prabhu, Director and Vice President of DNA Entertainment Networks Pvt. Ltd., Mr. Arvind Jyot Sabhaney, CEO of team.i, and Prof. Srinivas Govindarajan, Founder of Vertical Limit Education and a visiting professor at the SOB. team.i, has provided event management education to over 2,000 successful event managers over the years. With a 7-acre campus, team.i is the only dedicated academic event management campus in the country. The institute has tied-up with DNA Entertainment Networks to bring in real-world capabilities to the field, which will now be available to students of the Northeast at Kaziranga University. DNA Entertainment Networks is a pioneering and prestigious international event management company that manages some of the largest and most high profile events in the country, such as, the Indian Premier League, the Pro Kabbadi League, and the Indian Super League. Speaking at the conference, Mr. Harisha Prabhu remarked, “The Indian event management industry has a dearth of qualified event managers, and to make up for the demand, industry-aligned programmes such as this is the need of the hour.” With classes scheduled to start in the autumn semester of 2019, the MBA in Event Management programme will be the eighth highly specialized MBA programme offered by Kaziranga University; the others being MBA in Hospital Administration, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Banking & Financial Services, Business Entrepreneurship & Management, Tourism Management, Construction & Urban Infrastructure Management, and MBA (General) with specializations in HR, Marketing, Operations, and Finance. In his reflection upon the event management industry in India, Dr. P.K Mishra, said, “In recent years, higher education has become more dynamic in nature and for serious aspirants of event management, a 2-year MBA is an appropriate programme to equip themselves with the required skills. In keeping with the global demand, Kaziranga University will award certificates to its students.” Prof. Srinivas Govindrajan also added that the event management industry in India is witnessing unprecedented growth, and it is of vital importance that specialized MBA programmes such as this are offered to young students and professionals to keep them abreast of the standards of the industry. The course, designed and delivered in association with team.i and DNA Entertainment Networks, will provide students with immense exposure into and knowledge of the industry through a curriculum that meets international standards. The aim of the programme is to create professionals with a sound foundation in the core event management subjects, with proficiency in theoretical knowledge and emphasis on marketing, media, events, and finance. Students pursuing this course will be required to undertake the second year of their academic programme in Bangalore, where they will pursue industry internships in prominent event management agencies, such as, DNA Entertainment Networks, Phase 1 Events & Entertainment, Acme Events & Expo, and Wizcraft. The launch of this MBA programme comes at an opportune moment where the event management industry in India is predicted to cross the INR 10,000 crore mark by 2020-21. With the key growth drivers of event management – digital activation, sports leagues, corporate events, and increased government marketing initiatives – coming to the Northeast, this programme at Kaziranga University aims at sending out skilled professionals into the sector. With such industry-aligned programmes, Kaziranga University is well on its way to achieving its mission of bringing global educational standards to Northeast India and fostering a strong academic foundation in the region.