Goa Institute of Management Appoints Prof Arun A. Elias as New Director

Goa Institute of Management has appointed Professor Arun A. Elias as its new Director, marking a leadership transition at the management institute.

Elias succeeds Professor Ajit Parulekar, who served as director from 2017 and has been associated with the institute for many years.

The new director brings more than three decades of academic experience and around 15 years of senior leadership experience across India, New Zealand and Fiji.

He has been associated with Victoria University of Wellington for 27 years and has held several academic and institutional leadership positions.

His previous roles include Dean of the College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies at Fiji National University and Associate Dean for International and Accreditation at Victoria University of Wellington.

He has also held director-level positions at Victoria Business School.

Elias holds an MTech in Industrial Engineering and Management from IIT Kharagpur and a PhD in Management from Victoria University of Wellington.

His academic background combines engineering, management and international higher-education leadership.

According to the institute, the new leadership will focus on areas including research with real-world impact, innovation in teaching and learning and socially responsible engagement.

Internationalisation and accreditation are also important areas of his background.

Elias has been involved with international accreditation organisations and has more than 100 publications, including books, journal articles, book chapters and conference papers.

Leadership changes at business schools can have implications for academic strategy, research priorities, international partnerships and programme development.

Management education is also changing rapidly as business schools respond to developments in artificial intelligence, sustainability, digital transformation and new models of work.

Business schools increasingly compete not only on academic reputation but also on international partnerships, research output, industry connections and student outcomes.

For students, these developments can influence the kinds of academic and professional opportunities available through an institution.

For faculty, international research networks and accreditation ecosystems can create opportunities for collaboration and global engagement.

GIM’s leadership transition therefore comes at a time when management education is undergoing considerable change.

The institute’s next phase will be watched for developments in research, internationalisation, academic programmes and industry engagement.

The appointment also illustrates the increasingly international nature of leadership in higher education.

Academic institutions are drawing leaders with experience across multiple countries and education systems as universities seek stronger global connections.

For prospective management students, institutional leadership is only one part of the decision-making process, but developments around faculty, programmes, accreditation, placements and international exposure remain important factors to examine.