EDU ~ EDGE
International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H) and Plaksha University, a not-for-profit private research university located in Mohali (Punjab),signed an MoU here on Thursday to establish a Sustainability Centre based on Smart and Sustainable Communities.
The MoU was signed by IIITH Director Prof P J Narayanan and Plaksha University Founding Vice Chancellor Prof Rudra Pratap.
The Sustainability Center will primarily focus on research for bottom-of-the-pyramid use cases around villages and towns, IIIT-H said in a release here.
IIIT-H and Plaksha University will jointly work on technologies applicable to sustainable communities including sensors, ML models, communication/5g, digital twins, economics, and social/human sciences.
It will also take up problems in functional domains like air/pollution, water (networks, wtp, stp, rain), energy (smart meters, distribution, grids, storage), waste management (solid water and otherwise), food/agriculture (sustainably produce, process, consume), health (preventive and public health and mental health).
The immediate short-term plan is to seed projects in Hyderabad and Chandigarh around water, pollution and agri-economics.
Prof P.J. Narayanan said, “IIITH is excited to partner with Plaksha University on joint research initiatives spanning sustainability and the development of sustainable communities. This collaborative centre will work on impactful research, educational programs, and community involvement, leveraging our combined strengths.”
Prof. Rudra Pratap, said, “Our collaboration with IIIT Hyderabad marks a pivotal moment in our journey towards fostering sustainable communities. Through the joint efforts of Plaksha University and IIITH, we aspire to harness cutting-edge technologies to address the pressing challenges faced by communities at the bottom of the pyramid, ensuring a brighter and more equitable future for all.”
Founded by a global community of more than 100 technology and business leaders, Plaksha envisions reimagining technology education and research for India and the world.
With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, UC San Diego, IIT Kanpur, and IISc Bengaluru, Plaksha aims to nurture and empower a generation of catalytic leaders and create an ecosystem of research and innovation.
