IIT Masters degrees beckon Bharat Forge employees

Corporate India continues to forge ties with centres of educational excellence in the country...

Corporate India continues to forge ties with centres of educational excellence in the country. City-based Bharat Forge Ltd BFL, the flagship of the 2.4 billion Kalyani Group and a supplier to the automotive and capital goods industry, signed a letter of intent on Wednesday with Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay IITB for the creation of an M Tech Programme for its employees.

The two-year, full-time M Tech materials, manufacturing and modelling programme will be specially designed to suit BFL8217;s requirements, with a view to boosting the research and development capabilities of its available human resources, the company said in a release. The proposed course is trans-disciplinary in nature and will be the first of its kind in the institute. During the first year, BFL employees will be deputed to IITB for full-time classroom training ; in the second year, the employees would do their respective projects jointly at BFL and IITB. The first batch will start in July 2009.

The letter of intent was signed by IIT director Prof Ashok Misra and BFL8217;s chairman and managing director B N Kalyani.

Kalyani said, 8220;I am pleased to announce the beginning of this partnership with IIT Bombay and am sure that such technology-oriented partnerships will be mutually fulfilling, enhance the much-needed interaction between the industry and educational institutions and benefit the nation.8221;

Pointing out that BFL was a 8220;technology-driven manufacturing company8221;, Kalyani said it was working towards creating a 8220;global talent pool8221;. As part of this initiative, BFL has tied up with the Birla Institute of Technology and Science BITS, Pilani, for BS manufacturing engineering and Warwick University for MSc in engineering business management. 8220;With the IITB letter of intent now in place, we will be in a position to provide learning opportunities to our employees at all levels,8221; he said.

Prof Ashok Misra said, 8220;The tie-up will expose BFL employees to upcoming technological areas. The course will enable them to emerge as multi-skilled individuals, prepared to face global challenges. From IITB8217;s perspective, the collaboration with BFL will promote active research, synergise and mutually benefit academia and the growing Indian industry.8221;