Orientation Programmes
Ideal for first-year students, a programme that uses the outdoors to help new students build trust, friendships, support systems, and imbibe the institution's culture and values.
Why Collaborative Leadership?
Students and young professionals must continually refine their skills to prepare for a rapidly-changing world. An emerging area of focus is the development of collaborative skills and behaviours.
The workplace today- Fast-paced, chaotic, and highly competitive with distributed organisational structures and flatter hierarchies.
The next generation of leaders we need - Individuals with broader skill sets and mindsets, the ability to leverage diverse strengths/perspectives, and empathetic engagement with people at all levels across cultures.
The catch - While theoretical learning builds a strong foundation, the values and behaviours needed for success require real-world engagement, not classroom learning alone.
Most students are freshers, still on the path of self-discovery without too much life and work experience. With the exception of some B-Schools, LinkedIn data shows that the average years of work experience for MBA students in India was 1.3 years in 2022.
Why Collaborative Leadership?
Students and young professionals must continually refine their skills to prepare for a rapidly-changing world. An emerging area of focus is the development of collaborative skills and behaviours.
The workplace today- Fast-paced, chaotic, and highly competitive with distributed organisational structures and flatter hierarchies.
The next generation of leaders we need - Individuals with broader skill sets and mindsets, the ability to leverage diverse strengths/perspectives, and empathetic engagement with people at all levels across cultures.
The catch - While theoretical learning builds a strong foundation, the values and behaviours needed for success require real-world engagement, not classroom learning alone.
Most students are freshers, still on the path of self-discovery without too much life and work experience. With the exception of some B-Schools, LinkedIn data shows that the average years of work experience for MBA students in India was 1.3 years in 2022.
The Indiahikes Collaborative Leadership Programme
Designed specifically for B-Schools and Management Institutes
The Indiahikes Collaborative Leadership Programme (CLP) bridges the gap between theory and practice. Over 6 adventurous days outdoors, participants live, learn, and breathe management principles through "learning by doing."
The objective:
- Teams must successfully plan and execute their own 6-day Himalayan trek
- The goal is to reach a high summit together within a specific time frame
An unfamiliar, challenging environment: Teams navigate tough terrain, bad weather, figure out complex group dynamics, set up camp, prepare their own meals, and tackle specially-designed challenges.
The caveat: The mission is considered “successful” when every single person summits. Working together is the only way to succeed. Read more about the programme here
We have been running this programme for students of a few Indian Institutes of Management for the past 11 years.
The Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) of Indore, Lucknow, and Bangalore have been offering it as a credit course for many years.
The Goa Institute of Management and Lloyd Business School also offer the programme to their students.
As students trek to a summit, theoretical concepts and lessons around teamwork, leadership, conflict resolution, and effective communication come to life. We've see that in a short span of time, they not only learn collaborative leadership skills and behaviours — they internalise it.
- Collaborative Leadership Programme for B-Schools and Management Institutes
Duration: 4+ Days
- Collaborative Leadership Programme for other Colleges, Universities, and Institutions
Duration 2-4 days
Write to us on learning@indiahikes.com for more details. We also customise programmes according to your institution's needs.
What participating institutes have to say
Prof. Sourav Mukherji
IIM Bangalore
Students not only learn about leadership and teamwork, but they are actually involved in tasks and doing things related to them.
There is a strong need to bring in the experiential component where students learn about skills, values, and attitudes. This kind of innovative programme helps students not only learn about leadership...Read More
There is a strong need to bring in the experiential component where students learn about skills, values, and attitudes. This kind of innovative programme helps students not only learn about leadership...Read More
Prof Swapnil Garg
IIM Indore
Students learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarising themselves to a new environment.
The level of enthusiasm in the students was huge. The students learnt a lot of things - they learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarizing themselves to a new environment. Th...Read More
The level of enthusiasm in the students was huge. The students learnt a lot of things - they learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarizing themselves to a new environment. Th...Read More
Prof. Prateek Raj
IIM Bangalore
Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psychology had a significant impact on our ability to face challenges.
Each day of the trek was a long psychological journey, and when we fulfilled the goals, no matter how small, it filled us with motivation. Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psy...Read More
Each day of the trek was a long psychological journey, and when we fulfilled the goals, no matter how small, it filled us with motivation. Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psy...Read More
Prof. Sourav Mukherji
IIM Bangalore
Students not only learn about leadership and teamwork, but they are actually involved in tasks and doing things related to them.
There is a strong need to bring in the experiential component where students learn about skills, values, and attitudes. This kind of innovative programme helps students not only learn about leadership...Read More
There is a strong need to bring in the experiential component where students learn about skills, values, and attitudes. This kind of innovative programme helps students not only learn about leadership...Read More
Prof Swapnil Garg
IIM Indore
Students learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarising themselves to a new environment.
The level of enthusiasm in the students was huge. The students learnt a lot of things - they learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarizing themselves to a new environment. Th...Read More
The level of enthusiasm in the students was huge. The students learnt a lot of things - they learnt to work together as a team, surmount a challenge, familiarizing themselves to a new environment. Th...Read More
Aswin Teja
Indian School of Business
This trek to Dayara Bugyal with fellow ISBians will be a story I will proudly share with my grandchildren
The challenging journey tested us mentally and physically, but together, we conquered fears and supported each other through sub-zero degree nights and tough terrains. It brought out leadership, teamw...Read More
The challenging journey tested us mentally and physically, but together, we conquered fears and supported each other through sub-zero degree nights and tough terrains. It brought out leadership, teamw...Read More
Prof. Prateek Raj
IIM Bangalore
Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psychology had a significant impact on our ability to face challenges.
Each day of the trek was a long psychological journey, and when we fulfilled the goals, no matter how small, it filled us with motivation. Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psy...Read More
Each day of the trek was a long psychological journey, and when we fulfilled the goals, no matter how small, it filled us with motivation. Beyond physical endurance and strength, I learned how our psy...Read More
Collaborative Leadership Programme in Pictures
Benefits of the Indiahikes Collaborative Leadership Programme
- Deeper relationship building with peers
- Trust building through honest, transparent, often uncomfortable communication
- Handling conflicts in a constructive manner
- Sharing control and avoiding power struggles
- Being empathetic and inclusive
- Creating enabling environments for others to lead
- Building connections with other teams and stakeholders
- Leveraging a team’s diversity and tapping its collective intelligence
- Discovering the self, others, and who you can be as a team
Hear what Prof. Sourav Mukherji from IIM Bangalore has to say about the programme
Benefits of the Indiahikes Collaborative Leadership Programme
- Deeper relationship building with peers
- Trust building through honest, transparent, often uncomfortable communication
- Handling conflicts in a constructive manner
- Sharing control and avoiding power struggles
- Being empathetic and inclusive
- Creating enabling environments for others to lead
- Building connections with other teams and stakeholders
- Leveraging a team’s diversity and tapping its collective intelligence
- Discovering the self, others, and who you can be as a team
Hear what Prof. Sourav Mukherji from IIM Bangalore has to say about the programme
Other Indiahikes Programmes for Colleges
Adventure/Hiking Clubs
Exciting mountain adventures and learning programmes for college hiking clubs
Social Immersion Programmes
A programme that helps sensitise students on the needs, challenges, and aspirations of rural communities in ecologically-sensitive areas.
What Students have to say
How We Keep Participants Safe
Indiahikes is India's largest and safest trekking organisation
Our Trek Leaders are certified mountaineers with a Basic Mountaineering Course or Advanced Mountaineering Course. They are also Wilderness First Responders (WFR) and NOLS certified. We conduct regular refresher courses and specialised trainings year-round towards building capacity and mitigating risk.
Apart from Trek Leaders, our technical guides, trek guides, programme facilitators and assistants accompany students on the programmes. Each one is trained to handle emergency situations in the mountains. Read more about how we keep your students safe here.
Stringent safety processes are built into how we operate. There is a process for preparing team members, a process to monitor their health 3 times a day, a process for management of accidents, a process for managing altitude sickness, and a process for evacuation. We have processed for trekking and a separate process for difficult sections. Any potential risk is nipped in the bud.
Our extensive trek experience matters here. Trekking trails are not new to us. We have nurtured and developed these trails for many years. We have our own base camps on these trails. Safety of all team members is our responsibility, from the time the programme starts till it ends.
We draw up a Risk Assessment and Management plan before every trek - especially when it involves children. We prepare a risk assessment and management plan for each project we take with a school. You can download our sample safety plan here.
Most modern safety equipment used in the Indian trekking community has been introduced by us. This has fundamentally changed how trekking is done in our country.
In all of our treks, we carry a high-altitude medical kit, an evacuation kit, a technical kit, radio equipment, and oxygen cylinders (pulse oximeters and BP monitors are standard equipment carried by our Trek Leaders, including ropes and carabiners).
How the immersive experience works
Setting The Stage
Participants plan and execute their own trekking expedition. The expedition, spread over 4 days, requires them to reach a high point (usually a summit) and return to the base camp safely. They do this in teams composed of 8 to 10 members, usually of diverse skills and abilities.
Designing the trek nudges participants out of their comfort zones, creating a powerful environment for learning. Each day of the trek has a progressive change in terrain, altitude, temperature, and trekking hours. This keeps participants constantly on the learning edge.
Coming Together for Collaboration
Teams face adverse weather conditions, like snow or rain. They cook their own food, set up and unwind their campsites and find their way through mountain trails.
Each day is designed to be a little more challenging in terms of terrain, altitude, and specific team activities.
None of this is easy to do. Overcoming these challenges, day in and day out as a team tests and develops their collaborative leadership skills.
To sharpen the learning, the entire expedition is broken down into carefully designed activities. Every activity has a specific takeaway. It requires every team member to work collaboratively every single hour of the programme.
Key to an immersive experience
Reflection sessions at the end of each day form a crucial element. They enable teams to introspect on their learning each day. Guided by the facilitator, participants reflect on the activities of the day, and discuss what worked and what did not.
During reflections, team members address conflicts in a way that resolves them. They strategise and plan for the next day, taking into account the learning so far.
Must Reads
What The Trek To A Himalayan Peak Taught Me
How Trekking With Your Classmates Can Transform You Into A Confident Person
What is the Right Mindset for a Trek?
How We Keep Students Safe During the Himalayan Mountain Challenge Program
What Brings NUS Mountaineering Club Back to the Indian Himalayas And Indiahikes
IIM's Case Study On Indiahikes Wins ISB Global Case Study Competition 2018
This Is The Least Discussed (But Most Important) Topic In Trekking
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