BMC and IIM Mumbai join hands to drive evidence-based urban governance, research

IIM Mumbai and the city civic body have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on urban governance, research, and innovation to address Mumbai's urban challenges.

The city civic body and IIM Mumbai on Monday signed an agreement to establish a structured framework for institutional collaboration in urban governance, research, innovation, and capacity building.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to connect academic expertise with civic action by using IIM Mumbai's strengths in management, analytics, public policy, and operations to help solve Mumbaiâs urban challenges, the institute said in a statement.

Joint studies will be conducted on urban governance, municipal finance, infrastructure planning, and public administration, leading to policy briefs and advisory inputs for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

It will work toward data analytics and smart governance, capacity building and executive education for BMC officers, operations and process improvement, sustainability and climate resilience, and designing data-driven frameworks for disease surveillance, health systems planning, and public healthcare delivery optimisation.

This agreement will also facilitate opportunities for IIM Mumbai students for live consulting projects, internships, field immersion, and doctoral research on BMC-identified urban problem statements.

''Mumbai's scale and complexity require collaborative approaches grounded in knowledge, innovation, and institutional capacity. This partnership with IIM Mumbai will help strengthen evidence-based governance, enhance administrative capabilities, and create sustainable urban solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the city and its citizens,'' said BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide.

Under the collaboration, a joint BMC-IIM Mumbai Urban Innovation Lab / Centre of Excellence will also be set up, which will function as a living laboratory for applied urban innovation using Mumbai as a test-bed for implementable solutions.

The proposed Urban Innovation Lab will pilot innovative solutions in mobility, waste management, water systems, and digital governance, among others.

''This MoU represents a meaningful convergence of academic excellence and civic leadership. Through this partnership, IIM Mumbaiâs faculty, researchers, and students will work closely with BMC to develop innovative, data-driven, and implementable solutions that strengthen urban governance and improve the quality of life for citizens,'' IIM Mumbai Director Manoj Kumar Tiwari added.