Europe emerges as a key mobility market for Indian talent; upGrad deepens Germany focus with B-Schools WHU & IIM Udaipur

NEW DELHI, March 9, 2026: upGrad, Asia’s leading higher education and skilling company, announced a pioneering partnership with IIM Udaipur and Germany’s WHU Otto Beisheim School of Management, aimed at enabling high-merit students and established professionals from India to pursue higher-education from two of the world’s top-ranked business schools. The initiative arrives at a time when India and Germany are strengthening their bilateral cooperation and higher education roadmap remains a key tenet. Students will have the opportunity to pursue a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management, delivered by IIM Udaipur, a pioneering research institution in India and an AACSB-accredited public business school.

The IIMU certificate will enable a progression opportunity to WHU in Germany for Master’s in Management and Master’s in Business Analytics. It further addresses India’s growing demand for structured and academically credible opportunities. Speaking on the academic intent of the initiative with upGrad, Prof. Debanjan Mitra, Program Director- PCBM, IIM Udaipur, commented, “This initiative reflects IIM Udaipur’s continued commitment to expanding access to academically rigorous and globally benchmarked management education. The Postgraduate Certificate in Business Management has been thoughtfully designed to provide strong conceptual foundations, analytical depth, and applied learning exposure that align with evolving global career pathways. At IIMU, our emphasis remains on research-led teaching, academic integrity, and developing managerial capability grounded in critical thinking and responsible leadership. This pathway enables high-merit learners to engage with a structured, standards-driven learning experience that prepares them meaningfully for advanced management education and international career trajectories.”

Inspired by the collaboration, Dr. Steffen Loev, Assistant Dean for Programs at WHU commented, “This initiative complements existing routes into international management education by offering a structured and academically rigorous bridge for high-performing students in India to progress toward WHU programs. By combining strong academic preparation at IIM Udaipur with clearly defined progression and selection criteria at WHU, the pathway equips candidates with the analytical, managerial, and practical foundations expected by leading European employers and global organizations.” As per upGrad’s internal records, Europe, led by Germany emerged as the second-highest mobility market for Indian learners in 2025. This momentum is being driven not by volume- based migration, but by demand for skills-aligned, academically rigorous programs that lead to meaningful global careers. Germany’s evolving talent strategy, closely tied to skills, employability, and institutional partnerships – has elevated the overall need for well-defined, academically credible pathways for Indian students.

“Indian learner demand for Germany & Europe at large, has been rising steadily – there’s been a strong trend we’ve seen last year. Especially for Germany, we see both nations are deepening its ties – in higher-ed or skills, and in this scenario, platforms like ours play a critical role in translating that momentum into credible, outcome-driven academic pathways. We designed an innovation about 5 years ago with a strong grounding into how education landscape / markets would continue to evolve. Families now are going for structured Europe pathways with learners – both school-pass outs and professionals, prioritising academic credibility and progression over fragmented routes. Our collaboration with IIM Udaipur and WHU reflects how global mobility is maturing,” added Praneet Singh, AVP – University Partnerships, upGrad’s study abroad.

The collaboration brings together two institutions with strong global standing. IIM Udaipur is recognised among India’s leading management institutions for its research-driven academic culture and international accreditations, while WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management is among a select group of AACSB and EQUIS accredited business schools globally, known for its academic rigor, research strength, and employer reputation across Europe and international markets.

Applications are open to early-career professionals (0-3 years), and candidates planning a Master’s abroad within 1-3 years of work experience.