Bengaluru, Aug 10, 2026: In a major initiative geared towards offering students career oriented education, Sona Star Innovation Pvt. Ltd., via its SCALE (Sona Centre for Advanced Learning & Entrepreneurship) initiative, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr. Manmohan Singh Bengaluru City University (Dr. MSBCU). The MoU, which was signed during the Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Conference Series - I (MRICS-2026), held from August 5-6 in Bengaluru, will strengthen industry-academia collaboration by including in the curriculum industry-driven programmes, research projects and experiential learning.
The partnership will enhance student employability, industry readiness and workforce development. It will also see the setting up of ‘finishing school’ skill workshops that will help bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice. The MoU will also bolster the university’s incubation/innovation systems. One of its unique initiatives will be the appointment of “professors of practice”, who will be experienced industry professionals. In addition to being visiting faculty, they will also act as trainers, mentors and academic contributors.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Mr. Thyagu Valliappa, Vice Chairman of Sona Group of Institutions and Chief Mentor of Sona Star, who was also a keynote speaker at the final plenary session on Research Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Sustainability, said, "For over a century, the Sona name has stood for one thing: preparing people for the work of their time. That's the same promise we're extending through this partnership with Dr. MS Bengaluru City University - bringing our industry network directly into their classrooms and labs, so their students graduate not just qualified, but ready to contribute from day one."
Prof. Ramesh B, Vice Chancellor of Dr. MSBCU, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university, said, “This MoU will reinforce and strengthen the university’s academic rigour as SCALE’s industry-driven programmes will empower students with future-ready skills and innovation opportunities. It will also provide them with greater opportunities for global exposure, especially if they are looking at careers in areas such as AI, data science and engineering.”
The partnership, initially valid for five years, will also see organisation and hosting of HR conclaves, industry-academia events, workshops, seminars and related engagement activities.
About Sona Star:
Sona Star Innovations Pvt. Ltd. is the new-economy vertical of the Sona Valliappa Group a 100+ year old Indian conglomerate with deep roots across manufacturing, textiles, education, technology, and allied sectors, chaired by Thyagu Valliappa. Operating from Sona Towers in Bengaluru, historically the site of India's first Global Capability Centre, established by Texas Instruments in 1983, Sona Star drives the Group's forward-facing agenda in areas of skilling, technology consulting, GCC-readiness and entrepreneurship.
With 50+ industry MoUs, 15+ Centres of Excellence, and a partnership with the Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM) to skill 3,000 students across Karnataka, Sona Star represents a new chapter in the Group's century-old mission: connecting talent with opportunity at scale.
Its flagship initiative, SCALE (Sona Centre for Advanced Learning and Entrepreneurship), is designed to bring academia and industry into a single ecosystem offering postgraduate programmes, finishing schools, and technology courses built on the philosophy of "for the industry, by the industry, to the industry.”
SCALE Profile:
SCALE (Sona Centre for Advanced Learning and Entrepreneurship) is an industry-integrated higher education initiative backed by a 105-year legacy that prepares day-one-ready technology professionals for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and tech enterprises.
Built through direct collaboration with global industry leaders, the institution combines a project-based curriculum, global mentorship, and 24/7 hands-on access to advanced labs to deliver specialized training in cutting-edge domains like AI, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Green IT, and Zero Trust Systems.
By blending academic excellence with a focus on ethical, sustainable technology and global certifications, SCALE ensures its graduates possess the deep practical expertise and agility required to excel from day one in the global tech ecosystem.
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