Industry Collaborations Must Progress Beyond IITs: Union Education Minister

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in line with the strengthening of research capacities, employability and the economy of our nation, has called upon the industries to widen their approach towards collaboration with Higher Educational Institutions.

With India’s rich talent pool, it would be a shame to restrict our options and not optimize the resources at hand. To be equipped with a future-ready workforce for the 21st century, a consensus has to be met among 3 key players - The Industry, Academia and Policymakers.

One major step towards this direction is implementing Hybrid Learning systems and transforming campuses into Next-Gen Institutions that offer Technology-oriented methods of imparting knowledge.

To be equipped with a future-ready workforce for the 21st century, a consensus has to be met among 3 key players - The Industry, Academia and Policymakers.

Statement by Union Education Minister

Addressing the National council meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), he mentioned, “Our NITs, Colleges and Universities are brimming with talent and enormous capacity. Industry must collaborate with IITs and institutes beyond IITs to build capacities in research and development and innovation”.

He further added, “Our wealth creators have to play an important role in developing the workforce of the 21st century. I call upon the industry to create an enabling ecosystem in line with the spirit of the NEP (National Education Policy) 2020.”

Significance of Industry-Academia Collaborations

The 2 most significant stakeholders in developing the economy, enabling innovation, enhancing the educational system, and producing a highly skilled workforce are academia and industry. 

The key focus in such collaborations is designing the courses and curriculum per the industry’s requirement and training students for necessary industry exposure in terms of internships and apprenticeship programs. 

With the diverse educational disciplines offered in India, there is much that can be achieved through collaborations to uplift the industry performance and research aspects of academics. The primary benefit of collaborations from different institutions is a diverse and skilled workforce to cater to the different industries. 

Achieving Atmanirbhar Bharath

Industry-academia collaborations also help India progress towards Atmanirbhar Bharat. Industry-oriented academics play a key role in bridging the prevalent Industry-Academia gap because it prepares the students to meet the aspirations of the industry and promote innovation, creativity and growth. Furthermore, through academic partnerships or collaborations, industries can advance their research-oriented growth and development, ensuring better production. 

Industry-Academia Collaborations Made Easy by upGrad Campus 

upGrad Campus aspires to expand its academic status in India to meet the expectations of the Industry. We aim to bridge the gap between Industry and Academia by helping institutes equip themselves with state-of-the-art solutions and products that help cater to the needs of today’s rapidly evolving Educational demands. We provide Technology Solutions comprising Blended and Live Classrooms and Learning Solutions like Job Ready Certification and Joint Degree programs. 

[In case you are a part of a Higher Education Institution and looking to transform your college/university into a hybrid learning centre, you can reach out to us at campus.sales@upgrad.com or just drop us a message on WhatsApp.]