| | 8 APRIL 2025HIGHERReviewAccording to AISHE, the Indian higher education sector is expected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.46% from 2024 to 2032. Low expenditure on R&D and 0.65% of the GDP of the country are the primary reasons behind the low research output in India. The future of Indian universities engaged in research and innovation is dependent on the integration of advanced technologies, cooperation between industry and academia, and the development of infrastructure facilities relevant to complex research innovations. This will lead to the changes that need to be incorporated into curriculums, which will focus on practical and research-oriented education, providing the necessity of integrating knowledge into its real-life application.Indian universities are developing global knowledge that solves problems at both local and international levels. Indian universities work towards creating a complementary, collaborative, and sustainable research environment where academic efforts are grown toward fulfilling the needs of the real world. Indian universities have the potential to exploit their intellectual capital and comparative advantage to play a proactive role in building a knowledge society equipped to meet the challenges of today's world. With an appropriate strategy, Indian universities can build a future where academics become powerfully integrated with society's development and innovation.Industry-Academia CollaborationsThe future of research and innovation in Indian universities depend on building more industry-academia collaborations. Research has disconnected with industrialized problems that are relevant and practical. As both industries and areas of research become increasingly complex, universities are required to unite with businesses for research output to align better with the requirements of markets. Alternative formats and models include joint research, sponsored research programs, on-site internships, and incubation centers for startups. Such partnerships provide universities with funding and resources that enhance the quality of research while also providing valuable insights from the industry to benefit students and faculty members in their pursuit of commercially relevant research. Knowledge exchange from industry to academia brings more applications that address problems such as climate change, digital transformation, and healthcare innovation. Strengthening such collaborations strengthen the relevance and impact of Indian universities in the academic and industrial domains.Veezhinathan Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras said, "Now, there is a need to accelerate innovation and research. For that, we need a lot of partnerships. These partnerships can be among higher education institutions and between industry and academia".THE FUTURE OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION IN INDIAN UNIVERSITIESFOCAL POINT
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