Latest News
Tata Group
Source Name: Tata Group

Tata Sons and Tata Companies Tie up with World’s Top Universities to Develop Breakthrough Technologies

Aug 29, 2016   13:25 IST 
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Tata Sons and Tata companies including Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Tata Chemicals, Tata Communications, Tata Steel, and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have entered into collaborations to fund research and development opportunities in partnership with the world’s leading academic institutions, including Harvard University, Yale University, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the Royal Society, UK.

 

The financial support, exceeding $25 million, will be spread over time, in line with the tenure of the individual alliances with the institutions. The Tata partnership with academic institutions is part of a global university collaboration programme of Tata companies for strategic outreach to academia across the world. It is aimed at supporting university faculty and students through funded research programmes, sabbaticals, fellowships, and engagements with university leadership, as well as studying long-term research outcomes related to key market needs.

 

It is the Tata group’s vision to touch the lives of 25% of the world’s population. To accomplish this vision, we are engaging with the best research institutions around the world to enable sustainable market development in the regions we work and live. This collaborative platform will allow Tata companies to work closely with these leading universities and I have no doubt that the exciting research at these institutions will be strengthened by the market understanding of the Tata group to create outcomes that matter to the world,” said Dr. Gopichand Katragadda, Group Chief Technology Officer, Tata Sons.

 

Collaborations with the Universities

"With Harvard University, Tata Sons, Tata Communications, Tata Steel, and JLR have established a six-year research alliance. The Harvard initiative will uniquely bring together the capabilities of Harvard’s world-leading scientific research enterprise with those of the Harvard Business School. Some of the initial areas of interest are soft robotics, advanced materials, and sensor technologies. Tata employees nominated as fellows will have the unique opportunity to participate in the Harvard Business School’s Executive Education courses, while contributing to the funded research projects. “This initiative will harness the power of research that crosses traditional academic boundaries, leading to more rapid discovery and the development of new products and services that address real-world problems,” said Harvard Provost Alan M. Garber.

 

At Yale, Tata Sons, TCS and Tata Chemicals have set up a five-year alliance in the areas of network sciences, consumer behaviour and other research opportunities of interest. Tata companies will enable specific applications for needs including employee change management, customer acquisition strategies, and digital health. “We are especially grateful to partner with a company as highly regarded as Tata,” said President Peter Salovey. “With this agreement, Tata has again demonstrated its steadfast commitment to making a difference in the world. By harnessing the intellectual capabilities of each institution, the alliance promises to yield novel solutions for some of today’s most pressing challenges.”

 

Another strategic research engagement that was recently announced is the five-year alliance with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, in the area of Advanced Materials. The lead Tata company in this collaboration is Tata Steel. Tata Sons will provide support through participation in the technical and governing bodies of the collaboration. The vision is to set up a self-sustaining research centre in Advanced Materials Technologies for the Tata group.

 

The collaboration with the Royal Society, UK, announced in June 2016, is a fellowship funding with participation from Tata Sons, JLR and TCS. The funding is aimed at establishing nine Tata University Research Fellowships in physical sciences and engineering over 10 years. These fellowships will provide early career scientists, who have the potential to become leaders in their chosen fields, with the opportunity to build independent research careers. The first Royal Society Tata University Research Fellows are due to be appointed in October 2016.

 

About the Tata group

Founded by Jamsetji Tata in 1868, the Tata group is a global enterprise, headquartered in India, comprising over 100 independent operating companies. The group operates in more than 100 countries across six continents, with a mission 'To improve the quality of life of the communities we serve globally, through long-term stakeholder value creation based on Leadership with Trust'. Tata Sons is the principal investment holding company and promoter of Tata companies. Sixty-six percent of the equity share capital of Tata Sons is held by philanthropic trusts, which support education, health, livelihood generation and art and culture. In 2015-16, the revenue of Tata companies, taken together, was $103 billion. These companies collectively employ over 660,000 people.Each Tata company or enterprise operates independently under the guidance and supervision of its own board of directors and shareholders. There are 29 publicly-listed Tata enterprises with a combined market capitalisation of about $116 billion (as on March 31, 2016). Tata companies with significant scale include Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, Tata Chemicals, Tata Global Beverages, Tata Teleservices, Titan, Tata Communications and Indian Hotels.

 

For more information, please visit www.tata.com


Media Contact Details
Arushi Agrawal
+91 22 66657891
 
 
For press background on Tata Group

click here
 
Social Media Links