IIM Bangalore to Open First Overseas Campus in Indonesia

The proposed IIM Bangalore campus reflects the growing strategic partnership between India and Indonesia, with both countries seeking closer collaboration in higher education, skill development and leadership training.

India's efforts to take its higher education institutions to the global stage received another major boost as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) will establish its first international campus in Indonesia. The announcement was made during the Prime Minister's visit to Indonesia while addressing the media alongside Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The new campus will be set up at the Singhasari Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Malang and is expected to serve not only Indonesian students but also learners from across Southeast Asia, strengthening educational ties between India and the ASEAN region.

New campus strengthens India-Indonesia education partnership

The proposed IIM Bangalore campus reflects the growing strategic partnership between India and Indonesia, with both countries seeking closer collaboration in higher education, skill development and leadership training. It will become IIM Bangalore's first overseas campus and adds to the expanding global footprint of India's leading educational institutions. In recent years, IIM Ahmedabad opened a campus in Dubai, while IIT Delhi established its international campus in Abu Dhabi and IIT Madras launched operations in Zanzibar.

The project also aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages India's premier institutions to expand internationally and make high-quality education accessible to students beyond the country's borders. The campus is expected to position Indonesia as a regional centre for management education while reinforcing India's role as a trusted provider of affordable, world-class academic programmes.

Future-focused curriculum designed for emerging industries

The academic programmes planned for the Indonesian campus will focus on preparing business leaders for rapidly changing global markets. The curriculum will include key themes such as global supply chains, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, and healthcare management.

Students will also benefit from interactions with business leaders, internationally recognised academics and experts from various industries, providing practical insights alongside classroom learning.

The initiative is being implemented through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIM Bangalore and PT Intelegensia Grahatama (PT IGT), the managing and development entity of the Singhasari Special Economic Zone.

Executive programmes to launch before degree courses

The campus will be developed in two stages. During the first phase, IIM Bangalore will offer Executive Education Programmes designed for senior executives, business leaders and public sector professionals seeking advanced management training. If the initial phase progresses successfully over the first two years, the institute will move to the second phase by introducing full-fledged degree-granting management programmes.

The campus will primarily cater to Indonesian nationals while welcoming participants from neighbouring ASEAN countries. Students will also have opportunities to visit IIM Bangalore's main campus in Bengaluru through short academic immersion programmes, giving them direct exposure to India's innovation ecosystem, business environment and entrepreneurial culture. The initiative is expected to deepen educational and economic ties between India and Indonesia while supporting India's broader goal of making the Global South a leading destination for quality education, leadership development and innovation.