KIET joins hands with IBM, SAP, EY India and L&T; Inaugurates three centres of excellence and strengthens Global Partnerships with RWTH Aachen and INTI University

KIET Deemed to be University marked a significant milestone in its journey towards innovation-driven, industry-aligned, and globally connected education through its event, “Shaping Tomorrow: Industry and International Partnerships.” The event witnessed the inauguration of three state-of-the-art Centres of Excellence and the signing of strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading international universities and global industry partners.

The event brought together distinguished leaders from academia, industry, government, and international institutions, viz. Sh. Vinod Singh Yadav (Deputy Secretary, UGC), Jagadisha Bhat (Market Leader - IBM Technology Expert Labs, ISA, IBM India Private Limited), Furqan Warsi (Partner, EY India), Vijay Vohra (VP and Head Services, Advisory and Digital Skilling, SAP), Ram Sharma, (Associate Director, LTI), Mr. Ravi Sastry (MD, Festo India Pvt. India), Mr. Harish Nachnani (Head, Didactic), Dr. Asokan Vasudevan (Director of International Relations and Collaborations Centre, INTI International University, Malaysia), Dr. Sandeep P. Patil (Director of India Office at RWTH International Academy), Dr Shiva Kumar (CTO, QMD Foundation, IIT, Delhi, Ex-Director, DRDO HQ), Sh Jitendra Singh (Scientist G & Center Head C-DAC, Delhi), and Dr. L. Venkata Subramaniam (Former Head – IBM Quantum India, CEO Qbit Force).

The event was led by the university leadership, including Shri Sunil P. Gupta, General Secretary - KIET, Dr. Nagaraj Ramrao, Vice Chancellor; Dr. Manoj Goel, Pro Vice Chancellor; Dr. Adesh Pandey, Director Academics; Dr. Abhinav Juneja, Director CRPC; along with all the Deans, Heads of Departments, faculty members, students, and staff of the University.

A major highlight of the event was the inauguration of three cutting-edge facilities designed to equip students with future-ready skills and provide hands-on exposure to emerging technologies.

Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computing

Established in collaboration with IBM and C-DAC Delhi, the Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computing will provide students access to next-generation quantum computing platforms such as Qiskit and Quniverse. The facility aims to nurture talent in one of the world's most transformative technologies and aligns with India's National Quantum Mission.

As part of the initiative, KIET also signed an MoU with C-DAC to promote collaborative research, faculty development, and student upskilling in the field of quantum technologies. The collaboration will further support the university's newly launched industry-integrated learning track in Quantum Computing with IBM.

AICTE-Sponsored IDEA Lab

The university also inaugurated its AICTE-sponsored IDEA (Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Academy) Lab, established with support from NASSCOM as Training & Skilling Partner, Qmansys Infosolutions as Technical Partner, and HCP Technologies and VOLTRRON-EV as Corporate Partners.

The IDEA Lab has been envisioned as a multidisciplinary innovation hub that will promote creativity, design thinking, rapid prototyping, entrepreneurship, and product development. Equipped with advanced technologies and maker-space facilities, the lab will enable students from diverse disciplines to work on real-world challenges in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Electric Vehicles, Embedded Systems, Product Design, and Smart Technologies.

Centre of Excellence for Industrial Automation by FESTO

The Centre of Excellence for Industrial Automation, established in collaboration with FESTO, has been designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and industrial requirements. The facility will provide practical training and exposure in industrial automation, advanced manufacturing systems, and Industry 4.0 technologies, preparing students for modern industrial environments and enhancing their employability.

International partnerships

The event also featured a Strategic MoU Exchange Ceremony aimed at strengthening KIET's global academic network and industry collaborations.

International partnerships were formalized with RWTH Aachen University, Germany and INTI International University, Malaysia. These collaborations will facilitate academic and research cooperation, student and faculty mobility, joint projects, global learning opportunities, and cross-border knowledge exchange.

Further strengthening its industry-academia ecosystem, KIET exchanged MoUs with Fortune 500 companies including IBM, L&T EduTech, SAP, and EY India.

These partnerships will enable the launch of industry-integrated B.Tech and MBA learning tracks featuring specialized domains such as Quantum Computing, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Semiconductor Design, Electric Vehicles, Industrial IoT, Full Stack Development, SAP Cloud Enterprise Applications, FinTech, and Business Analytics. 30%-35% of the syllabus will be taught by these industry professionals.

Students enrolled in these programs will benefit from industry certifications, experiential learning, internships, mentorship from industry experts, and exposure to real-world business and technology challenges.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Nagaraj Ramrao, Vice Chancellor, KIET Deemed to be University, said, “The future of higher education lies in meaningful collaboration between academia, industry, research organizations, and global institutions. The Centres of Excellence and strategic partnerships launched today are designed to provide our students with world-class learning opportunities, industry exposure, and global perspectives. These initiatives will play a vital role in preparing future-ready professionals capable of addressing complex challenges and driving innovation.”

The inauguration of the Centres of Excellence and the formalization of strategic partnerships underscore KIET's commitment to empowering students with globally relevant competencies while contributing meaningfully to technological advancement, innovation-led growth, and nation-building.

The event concluded with a press interaction and networking session attended by academic leaders, industry representatives, international delegates, faculty members, researchers, students, and members of the media.