IBM opens CoE at six colleges in Maharashtra

Mumbai: IBM announced new and extended collaborations with six engineering and technology colleges across the state of Maharashtra to provide a platform for development of software skills among the students. The collaboration has brought the establishment of a series of IBM Centers of Excellence (COE), creating a unique opportunity for students to learn new skill sets on the IBM software products — DB2, WebSphere, Lotus, Rational and Tivoli as well as develop world class solutions.

The COEs were launched at Singahad Institute of Technology (Pune), Walchand College of Engineering (Sangli), International Institute of Information Mgmt (I2IT, Pune), Maharashtra Academy of Engineering (Pune), Sardar Patel Institute of Technology (Mumbai), and Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management & Engineering, NMIMS University (Mumbai).

IBM will follow a two-pronged approach: providing the colleges with access to technologies relevant to the market and with training faculty to ensure that right skills are taught. The students can gain firsthand experience of the software products that are installed at the campus. Through this initiative, IBM will work closely with the colleges in the state of Maharashtra, leveraging the selected institutes as centers of learning.

Anil Menon, VP-Channel, Marketing & Ecosystem IBM India/South Asia, said, “The world of information technology is extremely competitive and dynamic. This calls for constant upgrading of skills — high-value skills beyond simple programming or system administration. Students need to be trained not only on next generation technologies but also be prepared to be able to drive innovation. Through the Centers of Excellence, IBM works closely with the educational institutions in India to give students the opportunity to put skills to test and allows innovation to take center stage. We are confident that the COEs will enable skill set development among students for years to come.”

The colleges will provide infrastructure and high end systems while IBM is providing the entire software suite free of charge.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vijay Bhatkar, Director & Chief Mentor, I2IT, “Innovation and R&D plays a strategic role in the business. There is a need for the industry and academia to collaborate to create a multi-cultural ecosystem that stimulates young minds; on one hand acclimatizing them with a culture of innovation and on the other, exposing them to new and emerging technologies. We look forward to joint collaboration with IBM which will give students an opportunity to partner with some of the best minds across the world, to further refine these technologies by taking it to the next level.”

Dr YV Joshi, Director, Walchand College of Engineering, said, "Every institute has unique ideas on how they think technology can be applied to help solve different problems, as well as using technology to encourage skill development among its students and faculty. We are proud to collaborate with IBM to make these innovation ideas possible. The association will give our students the opportunity to partner with some of the best minds across the world, to further refine these technologies by taking it to the next level.”