Latest news with #VRamgopalRao
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BITS Pilani to set up ‘AI+' campus, invest ₹1,219 cr on infra upgrade
BITS Pilani on Sunday announced an expansion of its academic and digital infrastructure , unveiling plans for a new AI+ campus in Amaravati, a ₹1,219 crore investment to upgrade facilities across its existing campuses and the formal launch of BITS Pilani Digital, the institute's dedicated online education platform . 'The latest initiatives reflect our continued commitment to reimagining higher education in both physical and digital realms,' chancellor Kumar Mangalam Birla said announcing the initiatives during the 2025 convocation. 'These efforts are not just about scale but also about building a transformative ecosystem that empowers learners, nurtures innovation and fuels inclusive growth.' The AI+ campus, coming up on 35 acres in Amaravati, will be developed in two phases. The first phase will support 3,000 students, while the second will scale capacity to over 7,000. Programmes will include undergraduate twinning courses, cotutelle doctoral degrees with international institutions, and master's degrees in AI/ML, innovation and strategy. The campus will adopt a 'smart' design with integrated IoT systems, AI-driven services and modular, sustainable infrastructure. The ₹1,219 crore investment under Project Vistaar is aimed at enhancing research and learning infrastructure across BITS Pilani's campuses in Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad. It includes ₹60 crore earmarked for upgrading undergraduate labs and will increase student intake from the current 18,700 to approximately 26,000 by 2030-31. The expansion will also support new interdisciplinary programmes aligned with emerging global trends. BITS Pilani Digital, also announced at the event, is designed to extend the institute's academic offerings to a wider audience through flexible, industry-focused online programmes. Over the next five years, the platform will offer 32 programmes—11 degree and 21 certificate courses—targeting more than 100,000 learners. Features include real-world project work, career support and optional campus immersions. 'Our focus at BITS Pilani has always been to stay ahead of the curve, whether in academic innovation, global research collaboration, or student experience,' said vice chancellor V Ramgopal Rao. 'With these new initiatives, we are reaffirming our vision to create an institution that is responsive to the world's changing needs, deeply connected to industry and driven by a spirit of purpose and excellence.' Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
‘Innovation doesn't happen in silos… Our academic institutions must build structures that allow different minds to meet'
'Innovation doesn't happen in silos… Our academic institutions must build structures that allow different minds to meet' V Ramgopal Rao, group vice chancellor of BITS Pilani campuses, talks about why the National Education Policy 2020 can be a turning point for India — but only if we act on it boldly
Hans India
26-04-2025
- Business
- Hans India
ICRISAT forges new partnership with BITS Pilani
Hyderabad: Ahead of the World Intellectual Property Day, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) hosted a special event titled 'Celebrating Innovation, Empowering the Future' at its Hyderabad campus. The ICRISAT said on Friday that the two key features during the event were marked with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BITS Pilani and an IP licensing agreement with Eco-Paryavaran for ICRISAT's Solar Water Hyacinth Harvester. Professor V Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, 'The MoU paves the way for cross-disciplinary innovation as BITS forays into the agriculture space. We plan to leverage our strengths in engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and start-ups to address critical agricultural and environmental challenges.' Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General, ICRISAT, highlighted, 'Our IP strategy is not just about protecting crops and other innovations. It's about building partnerships to deliver technologies to the farmers who need them most. This MoU can spark high-level innovation in the years ahead.
