Stansfield group unveils Chennai plans

The Stansfield School of Business prides itself on its strong academic tradition and the prestige of being the leading provider of University of London's programmes.

Now, you can study in an ambience rivalling that of a Singapore business school, have your exam- ination answersheets evaluated in London, learn at least 100 words of a foreign language to enhance em- ployability and step out with an in- ternationally reputed MBA degree. All in Chennai.

The Singapore-based Stansfield group has announced its arrival in Chennai with a Rs. 25-crore eight- storeyed complex in the heart of town and a level of sophistication identifiable with anything but a business school. "We believe that the physical en- vironment shapes the mindset of students," said Kannappan Chet- tiar, chairman of the Stansfield School of Business explaining the plush sofas, carpeted floor and ex- pensive furniture. Physical comforts such as these and a hep cafetaria apart, Stansfield prides in its strong academic tradi- tion and the prestige of being the leading provider of University of London's programmes. The School has been pivotal in translating the University's mission of making its degrees accessible to the world. Besides its branding in interna- tional management education, the strong point of this school is a curri- culum that lends an international perspective to the students' out- look.

"Our education is focused on ensuring the highest market value for be our pass outs, which can achieved only if the Stansfield de- gree is benchmarked against inter- national standards," said said Mr. Kannappan Chettiar.

The goal is to provide an entry- level salary of Rs. 15,000 for candidates. Those with a Stansfield de- gree are sought after by MNCs and the School itself is constantly push- ing the envelope in 'practising what it teaches.'In Singapore, Stansfield group's business school and the Singapore Institute of Commerce have churned out more than half the 8,000 MBAs. The courses offered include the standard three-year B.Sc. in Mathe- matics and Economics, Business, Management, Management with Law, Computing and Information Systems, Accounting and Finance, English and Philosphy; two-year graduate entry B.Sc. in Business, Management, Economics, Banking and Finance and Accounting with Law. Diploma courses are also avail- able for most of these disciplines.The examination procedures are streamlined by British Council and evaluation by a team at London School of Economics. Stansfield expects to establish 20 schools in India and seven in China in the next three years. Stansfield's expansion plans in India are as much about the busi- ness logic of tapping into large student constituencies as a prescient preparation for a post-WTO scena- rio when foreign Universities are due to enter the field.

The school believes in the impor- tance of imparting soft skills such as communication, presentation and spoken English.The management's driving phi losphy of delivering high quality education without through-the- roof costs brings these courses to students for between Rs. 60,000 to Rs. one lakh a year. The first batch commences on August 1. The combined intake ca- pacity is 700.