Bangalore: In a significant step towards solidifying India’s leadership in technological innovation, the Telecom Centre of Excellence (TCOE) India and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) – Visvesvaraya Research & Innovation Foundation (VRIF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Quantum Technology, 5G/6G technologies, and other frontier areas of research and development. This CoE, headquartered at VTU-VRIF Bangalore, is designed to accelerate India’s progress in these critical sectors and is part of the government’s 100-day program to boost technological advancements.
The MoU was signed by Dr. Vidya Shankar S, Vice Chancellor of VTU-VRIF, and Mr. Vinod Kumar, DDG (SRI), DoT & Director, TCOE India, during a ceremony attended by over 200 representatives from VTU’s Executive Council, Deans, and Heads of Departments from 228 affiliated colleges, alongside guests from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and experts from the telecom ecosystem.
A Hub for Cutting-Edge Research and Innovation
The Centre of Excellence will operate on a hub-and-spoke model, positioning VTU-VRIF and TCOE India as the central hub for innovation. Leveraging VTU’s vast network of 228 affiliated colleges, the CoE will foster research in Quantum Technology and 5G/6G technologies, enabling breakthroughs that can be rapidly scaled and commercialized.
The CoE aims to serve as a key facilitator of cutting-edge research, fostering collaboration between academic institutions, startups, and key organizations involved in telecom standardization, such as the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC), Bharat 6G Alliance, TSDSI, and the broader telecom and academic ecosystem. By creating focused innovation groups and engaging top experts from affiliated colleges, the CoE will drive India’s advancements in telecom technology.
Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
With a strong focus on capacity-building, the CoE is expected to empower over 400,000 students, more than 2,000 PhD candidates, and numerous researchers across VTU’s network, providing them with the tools and opportunities to contribute to breakthrough innovations. The hub will streamline research and development efforts and drive the commercialization of technologies that have the potential to transform India’s telecom and quantum technology landscape.