Sona Star Innovation Pvt. Ltd., through its SCALE (Sona Centre for Advanced Learning & Entrepreneurship) initiative, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University (Dr MSBCU) to strengthen industry-academia collaboration.

The MoU was signed during the Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Conference Series-I (MRICS-2026), held in Bengaluru from August 5-6. The partnership will introduce industry-driven programmes, research projects and experiential learning into the university’s curriculum.

The collaboration will also include internships and ‘finishing school’ skill workshops aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and professional practice. It will support the university’s incubation and innovation initiatives.

As part of the partnership, experienced industry professionals will be appointed as ‘professors of practice’. They will serve as visiting faculty as well as trainers, mentors and academic contributors.

Thyagu Valliappa, Vice Chairman, Sona Group of Institutions and Chief Mentor, Sona Star, said the partnership would bring the organisation’s industry network into the university’s classrooms and laboratories to help students develop workplace skills.

Prof Ramesh B, Vice Chancellor, Dr MSBCU, said the collaboration would provide students with industry-driven programmes, innovation opportunities and exposure to areas including Artificial Intelligence, data science and engineering.

The partnership will initially run for five years and include HR conclaves, industry-academia events, workshops, seminars and other engagement activities.

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