Aston University signs agreements with two leading Indian education institutions

Aston Business School – part of Aston University - has signed agreements with two leading Indian education institutions.

The agreements are with XLRI, Xavier School of Management and All India Management Association (AIMA), India’s national body for the management profession, to open up new courses to students in India and the UK.

The signings took place during the West Midlands Mayoral Mission to India, a delegation of West Midlands business, academic and political leaders led by mayor Richard Parker and was attended by Aston University’s Professor Gurpreet Singh Jagpal, chief commercial officer, and Professor Pawan Budhwar, associate deputy vice-chancellor international.

The MoU with XLRI, Xavier School of Management (formerly known as XLRI - Xavier Labour Relations Institute) is expected to lead to dual-degree pathways, possibly including a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) tailored for the Indian market, and an MSc in Consulting subject to feasibility and approvals.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday 24 February in Mumbai by Professor Jagpal and Professor Santosh Sangem, convenor, international relations & collaborations at XLRI.

A letter of intent was signed with AIMA, which is based in New Delhi and was established in 1957.

Their agreement is expected to lead the way to a UK-based AIMA-Aston ‘immersion programme’ and short executive skills courses which could lead students to study Aston postgraduate programmes, professional development and online courses.

There is also potential for these courses to provide access to research or doctoral level study.

It was made official on 27 February in Bangalore, signed by Professor Jagpal and the director of AIMA’s Centre for Management Education Professor Rohit Singh and its programme director of new age courses Professor Ganesh Singh.

Professor Jagpal said: “This mission to India and the signing of the MoU and letter of intent shows Aston University’s commitment to collaboration with Indian partners to expand access to industry-relevant education and skills.

It is a key step in delivering Aston University’s 2030 vision to extend our reach, scale our impact, and enhance our reputation in India, one of our most strategically important global markets.

“We are delighted to partner with these two institutions. XLRI’s visibility with Indian and global corporates and its reputation for producing employer-ready graduates make it a strong platform for promoting West Midlands-India engagement in skills, talent, and business ties. Meanwhile AIMA is a national management body with wide reach across corporate and institutional leaders, and the MoU will foster business engagement initiatives with the West Midlands.”

The West Midlands Delegation took place between 22 to 27 February 2026 and toured Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru, meeting with business leaders and government officials and building on the historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement signed in July 2025.