Five-Day Doctoral Colloquium Concludes with Global Scholars in Attendance
Key Points:
- XLRI and Academy of Management sign first such India-Asia MoU
- Five-day AOM–XLRI Doctoral Colloquium 2026 concludes in Jamshedpur
- Two books formally launched during the colloquium’s opening ceremony
JAMSHEDPUR – XLRI–Xavier School of Management and the Academy of Management signed a Memorandum of Understanding on September 1. The pact marks a milestone in global academic collaboration between the two institutions.
The MoU was signed during the inauguration of the AOM–XLRI Doctoral Colloquium 2026. It is the first such collaboration between the Academy of Management and any academic institution in India or Asia.
The five-day colloquium concluded on September 5. It brought together scholars, editors, academics and doctoral researchers from India and around the world.
Organisers said the event created a platform for intellectual exchange and mentorship. Moreover, the MoU aims to expand opportunities for doctoral scholars and researchers globally.
Several senior figures attended the inaugural ceremony. They included XLRI director Dr. (Fr.) George Sebastian, S.J., and Dean of Administration and Finance Dr. (Fr.) Donald D’Silva, S.J.
Dean of Academics Prof. Sanjay Patro was also present. Besides him, Academy of Management’s Kate Maloney and King’s Business School’s Prof. Johann Fortwengel attended.
Indian Revenue Service Joint Commissioner Manudev Jain and Business Standard president Sachin Phansikar were present too. In addition, Prof. Prashant Kumar, convener of the colloquium, attended the ceremony.
Kate Maloney, who directs the Academy’s Community Accelerator Program, explained the initiative’s purpose. “We created this program to help emerging scholars lead management education conversations,” she said.
She added that the program brings editors and researchers together to help students build networks and develop new theories. On the other hand, two books were also launched at the ceremony.
The first, “Context-Inspired Entrepreneurship—Cases from India,” was written by Prof. Elizabeth Rose, Ashish Galande and Shreevas S. The second was authored by XLRI professors Rahul Kumar Shukla and Sunil Kumar Sarangi.
A “Meet the Editors” session was a highlight of the opening day. Doctoral scholars interacted with leading editors of internationally recognised management journals during the session.
The five-day Jamshedpur event featured research presentations, editorial interactions and mentoring sessions. Topics discussed included artificial intelligence, sustainability, digital transformation and the future of work.
XLRI’s own doctoral scholars also led a series of panel discussions. These sessions gave younger researchers a platform to share their academic experiences.
The colloquium closed with a valedictory session featuring international speakers. Oana Branzei of Ivey Business School and Prof. Elizabeth L. Rose of the Journal of International Business Studies spoke on mentorship and global scholarly collaboration.
Dr. (Fr.) Donald D’Silva praised the colloquium’s successful organisation. He acknowledged the collective efforts of organisers, faculty members, scholars and participants.
The collaboration builds on an academic publishing workshop held in the city in past years, reflecting a wider push toward research quality. Similar cross-sector gatherings, such as a mining summit that concluded in the state capital, have also drawn national attention recently.
Local institutions have reported other milestones this year, including strong quarterly earnings growth at a Jamshedpur-based manufacturer. Meanwhile, another city institution recently upgraded its facilities, part of a broader trend of institutional investment in the region.
The city’s institutional profile has also been boosted by developments in other local sectors in recent months.
