Philips Partners with Indira University, Pune and MIT Art, Design & Technology University, Pune

This initiative addresses a critical gap in technical education, where only a very limited number of institutions currently offer Project Management specializations, despite steadily growing demand for skilled project management interns and early-career professionals.

Through this partnership, Philips aims to strengthen the education-to-industry pipeline by integrating practical, leadership-oriented, and future-ready project management competencies aligned with widely recognized industry best practices. The initiative reinforces Philips’ commitment to nurturing talent with depth, applied learning, accountability, and behavioral excellence, all of which are essential attributes for successful project managers.

The program will initially be implemented across the two partner universities, with plans to expand to additional institutions soon. The specialization includes 50 hours of classroom and online training, delivered jointly by university faculty trained in project management and supported by Philips experts. Philips will also share course content with the universities, enabling trained faculty to deliver the program effectively within their existing academic structure. To enhance industry exposure, Philips Project Managers will conduct quarterly guest lectures at both campuses.

The initiative aligns closely with the Skill India Mission and supports the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), both of which emphasize strong industry–academia collaboration and the integration of experiential, skills-based learning into higher education. By equipping engineering and management students with industry-ready project management skills, the collaboration enhances their employability and prepares them for the evolving needs of the future workforce.

The specialization is expected to significantly improve internship and job prospects for students, not only within Philips but across organizations and industries. As project management is a critical competency applicable across departments and domains, graduates will be well-positioned to pursue a broad spectrum of roles in engineering, product development, operations, technology, and other project-driven environments.

Rohit Sathe, Head, Healthcare Innovation Center, Philips, said, “At Philips, we believe in empowering the next generation of professionals with the skills needed to lead complex and impactful projects in India’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape. Our collaboration with Indira University and MIT Art, Design & Technology University brings industry-grade project management learning directly to students, enabling them to build confidence, leadership, and real-world readiness from early in their academic journey.”

Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Anagha Joshi, Vice-Chancellor - Indira University, Pune, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Philips on this transformative initiative. Integrating industry-aligned project management skills into our curriculum will significantly enhance our students’ readiness for real-world challenges and open new pathways for their professional growth.”