Dr. Gautam Bapat is an academic leader, researcher, educator, and administrator serving as Associate Dean – Academics and Associate Professor of Marketing at the School of Business, MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU), Pune. With an academic career spanning more than fifteen years, he has established himself as a respected voice in higher education leadership, marketing scholarship, digital transformation, and Artificial Intelligence-enabled business education.
As Associate Dean – Academics, Dr. Bapat provides strategic academic leadership for one of India's largest business schools, comprising 18 undergraduate and postgraduate management programmes (9 BBA and 9 MBA programmes), a faculty strength of over 120 academicians, and several thousand students. His portfolio encompasses academic governance, curriculum implementation, faculty resource planning, workload optimization, academic scheduling, quality assurance, examination management, accreditation support, policy implementation, and continuous institutional improvement.
A key milestone in his administrative journey has been successfully steering the School through its ISO Certification, strengthening institutional quality systems through process standardization, documentation, compliance frameworks, and evidence-based academic administration. His leadership has contributed to creating efficient, technology-enabled academic processes that improve transparency, operational effectiveness, and student learning outcomes.
Dr. Bapat believes that modern business schools must balance academic excellence with agility, innovation, and industry relevance. Consequently, he has led several initiatives focusing on digital transformation, AI integration in management education, academic analytics, faculty development, and outcome-based education. His administrative philosophy combines strategic thinking with operational excellence, enabling large academic systems to function efficiently while maintaining high standards of teaching, research, and student engagement.
Academically, Dr. Bapat holds a Ph.D. in Management with specialization in higher education marketing and digital student recruitment, an FDP certification from IIM Ahmedabad, an MMS in Marketing, a Master's degree in Computer Applications, and a Bachelor's degree in Zoology. His interdisciplinary academic journey enables him to integrate business, technology, analytics, and behavioural sciences into both teaching and research.
His teaching interests include Marketing Strategy, Consumer Behaviour, Branding, Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Artificial Intelligence in Marketing, Digital Transformation, and Strategic Management. Known for his interactive and application-oriented pedagogy, he emphasizes experiential learning, case-based teaching, industry engagement, and research-led classroom practices that prepare students for leadership in an increasingly technology-driven business environment.
Dr. Bapat's research focuses on the convergence of marketing, artificial intelligence, digital technologies, higher education, and consumer behaviour. His recent work explores AI-enabled branding, higher education marketing analytics, digital engagement, technology adoption, sustainable consumer behaviour, and the strategic application of data analytics in institutional decision-making. His research increasingly examines how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping marketing practice, management education, and organizational strategy.
His scholarly contributions include more than 40 peer-reviewed research publications, numerous presentations at international conferences, multiple authored textbooks, and five granted patents, reflecting his commitment to translating academic knowledge into practical innovation. His patents span domains including IoT-enabled systems, digital platforms, and technology-supported educational innovations. He also serves as a reviewer for reputed international journals, including the International Journal of Educational Management, contributing to the advancement of global management scholarship.
Currently pursuing his Postdoctoral Research through Dr. D. Y. Patil Education and Research Foundation (DYPERF) and Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Management Studies (DYPIMS), India, in collaboration with McCoy College of Business, Texas State University, USA, Dr. Bapat continues to investigate emerging intersections of Artificial Intelligence, marketing analytics, digital ecosystems, and higher education transformation.
His contributions have been recognised through numerous national and international awards, including the Ideal Teacher Award, the Highly Commended Paper Award at the International Research Symposium in Service Management (IRSSM), and Best Paper Awards from IIM Ahmedabad and Warsaw University of Life Sciences, among others.
Beyond research and administration, Dr. Bapat is an invited keynote speaker, faculty development trainer, academic consultant, and mentor. He regularly delivers expert sessions on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Research Methodology, Outcome-Based Education, Academic Leadership, Accreditation, and the future of Business Education. He has guided numerous research scholars, mentored student innovation projects, supported startup initiatives, and contributed to institutional policy development.
Driven by the belief that universities should serve as engines of innovation and societal progress, Dr. Bapat continues to champion academic excellence, responsible leadership, research-driven decision making, and technology-enabled education. His vision is to build globally competitive academic institutions that prepare future business leaders through rigorous scholarship, innovative pedagogy, ethical values, and meaningful engagement with industry and society.