Sambalpur, Nov 5:The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur has partnered with France's IAE Bordeaux University School of Management to offer a dual-degree doctoral programme, allowing working professionals to pursue an Executive PhD and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) without interrupting their careers.

The three-year programme, spanning 36 months, is designed for experienced professionals seeking to strengthen their research capabilities and explore opportunities in academia, industry and policy research. The institute describes it as India's pioneering dual-degree doctoral initiative.

The programme will follow a hybrid learning model, combining online and flexible learning with classroom sessions at IIM Sambalpur, its Delhi campus and the Bordeaux campus in France. Participants will be required to attend a mandatory two-week face-to-face academic module at Bordeaux. They will also have the opportunity to participate in a three-day academic writing workshop at Cambridge, Bordeaux, Dubai or another European partner institution.

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The first year will focus on coursework, with at least eight core courses covering areas such as sustainability finance, financial markets, corporate governance, entrepreneurship, human resource management and international business economics. Students will also receive training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, including the use of statistical software R and NVivo.

At the end of the first year, participants will have to defend their research proposals to qualify for a Research in Management certificate. The second and third years will focus on research, thesis writing and dissertation presentations. Each participant will be assigned a research supervisor or co-supervisor from both institutions.

Applicants are required to have at least five years of professional experience and a relevant postgraduate qualification or a four-year bachelor's degree from a recognised institution. The selection process includes an assessment of academic credentials and a personal interview. An employer's no-objection or consent letter is also required.

According to the proposed fee structure for 2026-29, the IIM Sambalpur tuition fee is Rs 9.25 lakh, while the Bordeaux component costs 15,000 euros over three years. Accommodation charges and a refundable caution deposit of Rs 25,000 are additional.

Successful participants who fulfil the academic requirements will be awarded an Executive PhD from IIM Sambalpur and a DBA from IAE Bordeaux University School of Management.

The application deadline for the 2026-29 batch was July 31, 2026, according to the institute's website.