Tata, global varsities to develop 'breakthrough technologies

Mumbai, Aug 29: The Tata Group on Monday announced a $25 million collaboration to fund research and development in some of the world's topmost universities.

Tata Sons, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Chemicals, Tata Communications, Tata Steel and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will partner with Harvard, Yale, Royal Society, UK and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras, among others.

The financial support, to be spread over time in line with the tenure of the individual universities, is part of the Tata partnership with academic institutions to support faculty and students.

The support includes funded research programmes, sabbaticals, fellowships and engagements with university leadership besides studying long-term research outcomes related to key market needs.

"The Tata Group's vision is to touch the lives of 25 percent of the world's population. For this we are engaging with the best research institutions around the world to enable sustainable market development in the regions we work and live," said Tata Sons Group Chief Technology Officer Gopichand Katragadda.

According to Katragadda, the collaborative platform would enable the Tata companies work closely with these top universities and the research there would be strengthened by the Tata Group's market understanding to create meaningful outcomes.

Tata Sons, Tata Communications, Tata Steel and JLR will have a six-year alliance with Harvard Univeristy for developing soft robotics, advanced materials and sensor technologies.

Tata Sons, TCS and Tata Chemicals will partner for five-years with Yale Univeristy in areas of network sciences, consumer behaviour and other research to enable specific applications for needs including employee change management, customer acquisition strategies and digital health.

The collaboration with Royal Society, UK, announced in June aims to establish nine Tata University Research Fellowships in physical sciences and engineering over 10 years.

The five-year engagement with IIT-Madras would be strategic research in Advanced Materials with the main collaborator Tata Steel and Tata Sons providing additional support, for establishing a self-sustaining research centre in Advanced Materials Technologies for the Tata Group.