MAHE Online secures international affiliation from UK-Headquartered IRM’s India Affiliate

The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), has been awarded the Certificate of International Affiliation from the UK-headquartered Institute of Risk Management’s India Affiliate (IRM India).

With this milestone, CDOE becomes the second online institute in the country to earn this affiliation, joining a select group of universities focused on advancing excellence in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and building risk-intelligent leadership. The recognition highlights CDOE’s commitment to delivering globally benchmarked education aligned with the National Education Policy, while equipping learners with resilience as a key new-age life skill.

Established in 1986, IRM is a certifying body for ERM exams across more than 140 countries and the only organization globally that awards professional designations in ERM up to Fellowship. MAHE, an Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University, offers UGC-entitled online degree programmes through CDOE, designed to combine academic excellence with industry relevance for learners in India and globally.

As organizations navigate an increasingly complex risk environment, including climate risks, cyber threats, geopolitical uncertainty, AI-driven misinformation, and supply chain disruptions, the need for structured risk management capabilities has grown significantly.

Through this affiliation, CDOE will integrate IRM’s Global Level 1 ERM / Fundamentals of Risk Management (FoRM) course and certification into its programmes. This will provide learners with exposure to risk identification, assessment techniques, global frameworks, and real-world case studies.

Learners will gain a practical understanding of more than 300 risk categories across environmental, strategic, operational, technological, governance, and financial domains. This, in turn, will help build decision-making capabilities and resilience—skills consistently highlighted by the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report as critical for the evolving workforce.

On completing the certification, CDOE learners will receive access to IRM India Affiliate’s risk resource hub, career opportunity alerts, center facilities across India, and curated masterclasses and networking engagements across emerging areas such as AI, ESG, supply chain, and geopolitics. The affiliation also expands access to a global community of risk professionals.

The agreement was formalized through a signing ceremony attended by representatives from MAHE and IRM. Those present included Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE; Dr Sharath K Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor-Health Sciences; Dr Madhu Veeraraghaven, Pro Vice Chancellor, MLHS; Dr Giridhar Kini, Registrar; Dr Manojkumar Nagasampige, Director - MAHE Online; Dr Harish Kumar, Director, Corporate Relations; Hersh Shah, CEO, IRM India Affiliate; Dinesh Kanabar, CEO, Dhruva Advisors and Governance Board Member, IRM India Affiliate; Sanjay Himatsingani, Director of Training, IRM HQ; Prabhakar Mukhopadhyay, Head of Group Internal Audit & Risk, The Indian Hotels Co Ltd (Taj Group) and Board Advisor, IRM India; Baiju Kuduvan, Chief Risk Officer, Adani GCC and IRM Certified Risk Leader (CMIRM); and Avinash Bhide, IRM Certified Risk Leader (CMIRM).

Lt Gen (Dr) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE, said, "In today’s uncertain and dynamic business landscape, risk management has become a critical leadership competency. This collaboration with IRM India Affiliate strengthens our online MBA by embedding globally recognized risk management capabilities into management education."

Hersh Shah, CEO, IRM India Affiliate and India’s Youngest Enterprise Risk Expert, said, “With geopolitical conflicts impacting global supply chains, the continuing aftereffects of COVID-19, and new challenges emerging from AI-driven technologies, the global business environment has become more complex than ever. Building strong risk management capabilities enables professionals from any background to better anticipate disruptions and support resilient decision-making. We are pleased to award this affiliation to Manipal Academy and welcome the institution to our shared vision of developing risk-intelligent leaders.”

Dr Manojkumar Nagasampige, Director, CDOE, added, “At the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), we continuously explore collaborations that enhance the value of our programs. Integrating IRM’s risk management certification within the MBA curriculum allows learners to gain specialized competencies that are increasingly sought after across industries.”

ERM, as articulated by IRM, is an integrated discipline focused on identifying, evaluating, and managing risks across an organization and its broader ecosystem. It enables institutions to pursue their objectives in a resilient and sustainable manner.

Unlike traditional financial risk models, ERM addresses a wide range of risk exposures, making it relevant for professionals across domains such as entrepreneurship, family businesses, accounting, law, life sciences, hospitality, engineering, technology, finance, audit, and operations. In today’s environment, ERM is evolving beyond a specialized function into a core organizational capability that strengthens resilience, informs strategy, and drives long-term value creation.

Universities seeking international affiliation with IRM India can apply by contacting the Registrar at IRM India ([email protected]).