DW BUREAU / CHANDIGARH The Chandigarh University (CU) becomes the first university of north India to partner with Birlasoft. CU has always been known for maintaining robust industry-academia interface to impart learning about the latest and emerging technologies being used by the Industry as a part of academic curriculum taught to its students. It is in this context that Chandigarh University has inked a Memorandum-of-Understanding (MoU) with one of leading IT Companies of India, Birlasoft. Birlasoft happens to be ranked amongst the top 100 IT Companies of India. It is an IT Company providing Digital and Intelligent Technology Driven Solutions to its clients which are spread over Banking, Manufacturing, Energy and Resources, Life-Sciences and Healthcare, Capital Markets and Media and Entertainment verticals. With the signing of MoU, Chandigarh University has become the first university of North India to partner with Birlasoft under its Academic Collaboration for Excellence (ACE) program which is a flagship program of the IT Company aimed to bridge the Academia-Industry Skill Gap. The MoU was signed by Madan Mewari, Senior Vice-President, Birlasoft Ltd. While giving details about the partnership with Birlasoft, Dr RS Bawa, Pro-Chancellor, Chandigarh University, said, "Under the ACE program, engineering students of Computer Science, IT and Electronics and Telecommunication would undergo methodology based training which will focus on their hands-on and problem solving skills so that they can be made industry-ready before the completion of their academic tenure. In addition, the students will be given opportunity to work on real time projects under the guidance of industry experts so that their employability skills can be enhanced. Birasoft will also organize Faculty Development Programs and Certifications for the University Faculty so they are able to up-grade themselves with the skill set according to the changing demands of Industry." The Pro-Chancellor further added, "The students of Chandigarh University will be given priority in the campus placements conducted by Birlasoft as the company has been a regular recruiter of engineering students for last five years." Birlasoft will also give inputs to the academic departments of Chandigarh University on the updation of academic curriculum being taught to the students so that they are able to learn the emerging technologies and can have an edge over students. (editor@dailyworld.in)