IIT Palakkad Partners with Autodesk to Drive Innovation in Architecture, Engineering, and Manufacturing
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The Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad (IIT Palakkad) has entered a strategic partnership with Autodesk, Inc. through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at transforming education and research in architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), and design and manufacturing.
The MoU was signed at Autodesk India's headquarters in Bengaluru by Dr A Seshadri Sekhar, Director, IIT Palakkad, and Smitha Raghunathan, Interim Regional Director, Autodesk India & SAARC.
Under this collaboration, IIT Palakkad will establish a cutting-edge Center of Excellence (CoE) and a Digital Construction Laboratory on its campus. These facilities will provide students, faculty, and industry collaborators access to Autodesk's advanced cloud-based Design and Make platforms. Technologies such as building information modeling (BIM), generative design, and additive manufacturing will be central to these initiatives.
Dr A Seshadri Sekhar said, "We look forward to working together with Autodesk in developing a dynamic and impactful learning platform for our students. This strategic collaboration is in line with our mission to connect academic learning with real-world industrial practice, enabling our students and graduates to possess future-proof capabilities."
The collaboration will also focus on industry-oriented programs, curriculum innovation, faculty development, and research-driven case studies. The CoE will feature dedicated incubation spaces to encourage student-led innovation and entrepreneurship.
Smitha Raghunathan emphasized Autodesk's commitment to education, stated, "At Autodesk, we are committed to empowering tomorrow's leaders with the tools and know-how to realise their ambitions in meaningful ways. Our partnership with IIT Palakkad merges academic rigor with world-class tech to get students ready for the emerging challenges of design and make industries."
She added, "This partnership with IIT Palakkad reflects our deep commitment to empowering the next generation of innovators in India. Our goal is to bridge the gap between education and industry, so students are not only ready for the future of work but also are prepared to lead it."
The partnership will support curriculum development, student bootcamps, faculty training, and design competitions. Faculty will also have the opportunity to earn Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP) credentials and stay abreast of trends like sustainable construction and design automation.
This initiative aligns with Autodesk's broader goal to provide free software and training access to over 100 million students and educators globally, including more than five million in India, reinforcing its vision of nurturing the workforce of the future.
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