JLL India has joined forces with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) to launch a specialised academic-industry programme aimed at nurturing the next generation of professionals in real estate services and human resource management. This collaboration comes at a time when India’s urban infrastructure and real estate ecosystem are rapidly expanding and evolving towards more sustainable, technology-driven models.
The partnership marks the inception of a one-year Postgraduate Programme (PGP) in Hospitality Management, uniquely tailored to integrate operational knowledge with strategic real estate insights. The programme blends six months of intensive classroom learning at ISH’s state-of-the-art campus with a five-month on-ground immersion across JLL India’s diverse operational portfolios, offering participants real-time exposure to how modern cities and spaces are shaped.
This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to closing the skills gap in the real estate services domain, particularly in the areas of facilities management, property operations, client services, and workplace strategy—all essential components in the development of climate-resilient and inclusive cities. As India steers towards smart and sustainable urbanisation, the demand for talent with interdisciplinary skills in hospitality, operations, and real estate is growing at an unprecedented rate. By leveraging ISH’s academic excellence and JLL’s vast on-ground expertise, the partnership fosters a new talent pool aligned with the principles of net-zero carbon, gender-neutral workforce development, and socially responsible urbanisation. For a sector that has traditionally been slow to evolve in its workforce practices, this collaboration signals a cultural shift—one that views human capital not just as a cost, but as the catalyst for building equitable, efficient and people-centred urban environments.
The programme is also designed to reflect the realities of a changing world where client experiences, energy-efficient buildings, and tech-enabled environments are no longer just value additions, but fundamental expectations. With this, JLL India is not only investing in business continuity but also contributing to a broader national agenda of creating future-ready, employable youth who can drive India’s next phase of urban transformation. While the first cohort of the programme is yet to begin, industry observers see this as a model that could be replicated across other urban sectors—encouraging more such partnerships between academia and enterprise to shape a workforce that is as resilient and dynamic as the cities it will help build.
“At JLL, we are committed to investing in future-ready talent. By funding 50% of the program fee for each participant, we are ensuring that selected candidates are well-equipped for long-term careers within our real estate advisory ecosystem. This investment aligns perfectly with our growth and talent strategy in India. This collaboration exemplifies JLL’s commitment to shaping the future of real estate through education and industry partnerships. By aligning academic excellence with practical industry experience, we are creating a talent pool which is future ready and ready to handle the dynamic and ever evolving FM sector,” said Ajit Kumar, Managing Director, Work Dynamics Accounts, West Asia, India, JLL, emphasizes the significance of this partnership. The ISH-JLL Postgraduate Programme is designed to create a pipeline of professionals who are not only operationally sound but also adaptable to the complexity of modern real estate environments.
“This is what industry-academia collaboration should look like, where education aligns with employment, and industry takes the lead in shaping future talent. In every strong economy, real progress begins when institutions and companies come together to create pathways that lead to growth. This partnership creates opportunities that lead to careers, with clear visibility on progression and purpose. It gives young professionals the return they seek on their invested time, and the confidence to build their future with intent,” said Kunal Vasudeva, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Indian School of Hospitality.
JLL Partners with ISH to Shape Real Estate Futures
