Sydney Uni teams up with Tech Mahindra's Makers Lab

The University of Sydney is partnering with India’s Tech Mahindra to expose students to industry and community projects through the company’s research arm, Markers Lab.

As part of a revamp of the undergraduate curriculum at the uni, Industry and Community Project Units (ICPUs) are units of study that are more closely aligned with topics graduates are likely to experience in the workforce.

Students will spend the four-week ICPU working with an acemeic supervisor and industry leaders from Tech Mahindra on porblems around artificial intelligence, machine learning, virtual and augmented reality, and the internet of things.

Sydney Uni has previously run ICPUs with the likes of AirBnB, Westpac and Accenture, exploring the possible applications of new business models, artificial intelligence and autonomous vehicles with each company respectively.

This is the first ICPU industry partnership with an Indian company, with vice-chancellor Dr Michael Spence signing off on the partnership with Tech Mahindra’s senior vice-president and global delivery head, B.K Mishra on Monday.

The agreement is a continuation of a memorandum of understanding originally signed in March last year to collaborate on experiential learning and research on booming technology fields like AI, machine learning, blockchain, data analytics, security, and virtual reality.

Spence said the partnership reaffirms the university’s aim of establishing stronger links with Asian economies.

“Partnering with a leading Indian company such as Tech Mahindra is the key to giving our students a better understanding of our region and experience working in an international company,” Spencer said.

“These projects bring students from a range of disciplinary backgrounds together to research, analyse and present solutions to real-world problems. We are equipping our students with the skills they need for the jobs of the future.”

Tech Mahindra’s head of its Makers Lab arm, Nikhil Malhotra, added that the ICPU will help add the pool of qualified, experienced tech talent.

Students and industry have both been keen on the ICPU initiative to date, with 1000 students taking part in 35 projects so far.