Swiss Re India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH) to strengthen industry-led education and research in the insurance sector. The collaboration is centred around BIMTECH’s Post Graduate Diploma in Insurance Business Management (PGDM-IBM) programme and aims to equip students with future-ready skills aligned with evolving industry demands.
As part of the partnership, Swiss Re India will act as a strategic partner, offering students access to summer and final placements, short-term industry projects, and immersive learning opportunities. The collaboration will also include training sessions, webinars, live projects, and workshops focusing on key market trends and emerging challenges in reinsurance.
A key highlight of the MoU is the co-development of specialised academic modules across critical areas such as reinsurance, risk analytics and data science, insurance penetration and protection gap, sustainability and climate risk, leadership development, and InsurTech. These modules are designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world industry requirements.
Amit Kalra, Managing Director and Head of Swiss Re India, emphasised the importance of adaptability in today’s fast-changing environment. Addressing students, he encouraged them to “learn, unlearn, and relearn,” while highlighting the need for continuous self-renewal. He also pointed out that artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly reduce India’s insurance protection gap, which is often widened by the perception of insurance as merely a tax-saving tool rather than a risk management solution.
Dr. Prabina Rajib, Director of BIMTECH, described the partnership as a step towards creating a strong academic-industry interface. She noted that India’s insurance sector presents both challenges and opportunities, and the collaboration would enhance curriculum design through industry insights while providing mentorship, internships, and hands-on learning experiences.
The MoU also focuses on promoting research, awareness, and outreach initiatives, alongside leadership development through executive mentoring programmes. Formalised during an on-campus industry interaction session, the partnership aims to nurture “T-shaped” professionals individuals with both specialised expertise and broad-based knowledge ready to lead in a rapidly evolving insurance landscape.
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