IIM Bangalore's undergraduate school receives grant from Tata Trusts

IIM Bangalore has received a philanthropic commitment from Tata Trusts to support its newly established School of Undergraduate Studies (SoUS), which will serve as the hub for the institute's undergraduate degree programs in Bengaluru.

According to the institute, the grant will support the school's academic vision, campus development, and long-term institutional roadmap.

The announcement comes nearly a year after IIM Bangalore opened admissions for its first full-time residential undergraduate degree programs, with the inaugural batch set to begin classes in August.

Located about 27 kilometers from the institute's main campus, the School of Undergraduate Studies has been established as part of IIM Bangalore's expansion into undergraduate education.

The school will initially offer two four-year residential programs: a BSc (Honours) in Economics with a minor in Data Science and a BSc (Honours) in Data Science with a minor in Economics.

The first cohort will comprise 80 students, with 40 students enrolled in each program. The institute said the curriculum integrates economics, data science, and business studies through an interdisciplinary approach.

IIM Bangalore plans to expand the school's academic offerings over time to include disciplines such as Economics, Mathematics and Data Science, Psychology and Behavioral Science, and Sustainability.

Once fully operational, the campus is expected to accommodate around 2,400 students and 100 full-time faculty members.

Welcoming the contribution, Devi Shetty, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore, said, “Transformative endowments, exemplified by the support from the Tata Trusts, are fundamental to setting institutes of national importance such as IIM Bangalore firmly on a path of global leadership.”

The institute said the Tata Trusts endowment will support the development of academic and residential infrastructure and help establish research clusters in areas such as artificial intelligence, data science, algorithmic design, Indian Knowledge Systems, and applied business learning. The funding will also support faculty recruitment across disciplines.

Noel Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, said, “The Tata Trusts have for over a century supported some of India’s most defining institutions, like the Tata Memorial Hospital and the Indian Institute of Science. This support reflects the same instinct, to build institutions of enduring value through support at an early, formative stage.”

According to the institute, the School of Undergraduate Studies forms part of its broader academic expansion plans, with the first batch of undergraduate students scheduled to begin their programs in August.