Mahindra U-Boltzmann concord

Hyderabad/new delhi, march 11. The Hyderabad-based Mahindra University’s Centre for Life Sciences has signed an MoU with the city’s Boltzmann Labs, an AI-driven biotechnology and drug discovery company, to accelerate academia-industry collaboration in emerging areas such as computational biology, AI-driven drug discovery, and life sciences innovation.

A highlight of the partnership is a provision for extending instrumentation access for mutual benefit, enabling researchers and faculty from both institutions to use advanced tools and infrastructure to support interdisciplinary research.

The MoU further outlines joint publication of research papers, internship and placement opportunities for students, and co-development of academic and research programs aligned with scientific marketplace challenges.

Ai University-MIT initiative

Mumbai, march 24. The Mumbai-based Universal Ai University which claims to be India’s first AI university, and the top-ranked MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), USA are organising four-day AI Summer Residency programmes.

This initiative has been co-created with AI experts from MIT Global Teaching Labs to enable practical applications of AI in India.  Designed for students from multiple disciplines including business management, design, liberal arts, music and technology, the programme will provide participants with hands-on experience in artificial intelligence and its real-world applications.

The four-day capsule programs are scheduled from May 14-17, June 4-7 and July 9-12. The curriculum of the program has been developed with MIT’s Global Teaching Labs to ensure global academic and industry relevance.

“Through this initiative with MIT, USA, we intend to bridge the academia-industry gap to provide students early hands-on exposure to global AI practices. Our association with MIT ensures that students in India will get access to top-class pedagogy and practical applications that will help them succeed in the future of work,” said Dr. Simon Mak, Vice Chancellor, Universal Ai University, addressing a media conference.

DreamXec crowdfunding platform

Delhi, march 11. The Delhi NCR-based DreamXec announced launch of a higher education student research and innovation crowdfunding platform (www.dreamxec.com) to enable them to access funding for innovating and commercialising early-stage ideas and projects in healthcare, agriculture, clean energy, and climate technology.

DreamXec connects verified college students with alumni, individual supporters, and corporate CSR managers through a milestone-based funding model designed to ensure transparency and accountability. “We’re building a missing bridge in India’s research ecosystem,” says Ashish Trivedi, Founder-CEO of DreamXec. “Our goal is to support the entire ecosystem — students, faculty, alumni, institutions, CSR partners and government — by helping them collaborate more effectively.”

Dual degree partnership

New delhi, march 12. Monash University, Australia and the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) of the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, announced a new dual degree partnership for Indian students to study software and chemical engineering in Australia.

From August 2026 onward, B.Tech students at MIT will have the option to commence studies in India and transfer to Monash in Australia to complete the final two years of their degree programs. On completion, graduates will receive two degrees, one from MIT and one from Monash University.

“This dual degree partnership with MIT, Manipal creates a world-class pathway for talented students in India to earn two degrees and acquire a truly international engineering education,” says Prof. Craig Jeffrey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Vice President of Monash U.

Students will start the degree program at MIT in India and, “if they meet the requirements,” transfer to Monash in Australia for the final two years of the B.Tech degree in software or chemical engineering. Credit will be granted for the subjects they complete at MIT. Upto 60 seats per year are available to transfer to Monash.

AI skilling initiative

New delhi, march 23. In collaboration with the Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting announced a national AI skilling initiative in strategic partnership with US-based behemoths Google and YouTube for the creative sector. The programme will offer 15,000 scholarships to build advanced, future-ready AI capabilities among India’s next generation of creators, storytellers, and digital professionals.

As implementation partner, IICT will lead the national rollout, overseeing programme design, outreach, curation, and execution. Working closely with Google and YouTube, IICT has designed a curriculum that integrates advanced AI tools, creative workflows, and platform-level best practices, ensuring participants are equipped with production-ready, industry-relevant skills from the outset.

“By equipping 15,000 individuals with advanced AI skills, we are not just preparing them for the jobs of tomorrow but also ensuring that India leads the world in the creative industry,” said Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.