Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting and business solutions, has announced a collaboration with the Institute of Engineering & Management (IEM), Kolkata, to establish an AI-focused Centre of Excellence (CoE) to advance industry-academia innovation. This centre is aimed at creating a sustained platform for applied learning, research, experimentation and innovation, enabling students and faculty to explore AI technologies, develop industry-relevant use cases and gain greater exposure to their real-world applications.
The collaboration, envisaged as a three-year engagement, is designed to go beyond conventional academic engagement by creating a stronger interface between classroom learning, AI-led research and real-world industry application. The initiative forms part of TCS’ broader Academic Alliances efforts, led by Dr. K. M. Suceendran, with a focus on establishing Centres of Excellence across select priority academic institutions to strengthen industry-academia collaboration. As part of the collaboration, TCS and IEM will undertake AI-focused CoE-led workshops and faculty development programs, student learning and skill-based certification initiatives, joint research and proofs of concept, and development of industry-relevant AI use cases. Students will also have opportunities to work on active projects under the mentorship of TCS professionals and participate in hackathons, innovation challenges and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
Abhijit Niyogi, Vice President & Business Head – Retail UK, EMEA & India, TCS, said, “The skills needed for tomorrow will increasingly be shaped by how effectively we connect academic learning with real-world technology and business challenges. Our collaboration with IEM is about creating that bridge. By bringing together academic talent, research capabilities and TCS’ industry experience, we want to create an ecosystem where students and faculty can experiment, innovate and develop solutions with practical relevance. We see this as a long-term platform for nurturing future-ready talent and fostering co-innovation.”
Prof. Dr. Satyajit Chakrabarti, Director, Institute of Engineering & Management, Kolkata, said, “Our endeavour has always been to ensure that education remains closely connected with the changing needs of industry and society. The Centre of Excellence with TCS will enable our students and faculty to engage more deeply with emerging technologies, applied research and real-world problem-solving. We believe this collaboration can create an important bridge between ideas developed within academia and their application at scale in industry.”
