THE Ansal Institute of Technology (AIT), Gurgaon, in collaboration with North Dakota State University, USA, organised a 4-day International conference-cum-workshop. The conference on the first two days was on "Industry-Academia collaboration: Opportunities & Challenges" whereas a workshop held in the next two days, focused on Emerging Areas of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at its campus in Gurgaon.

The conference was supported by the Department of Information Technology, Union Ministry of Communications & IT.

It focused on issues related to higher education in India to meet the demands of Industry and society in the changing global economic scenario. It brought together eminent professionals from the corporate and the academic world and was attended by delegates from the US, UK, Australia, France, Taipei, government officials and academicians. Those who participated included Prof S.K. Dube, Director, IIT, Kharagpur, Brijest Kumar, Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Prof Mathew Warren, Deakin University, Australia and. Dr B.N. Satpathy, Economic Advisor, Dept. of Information Technology.

Pranav Ansal, Chairman, Ansal Township and Projects, gave the presidential address and inaugurated the event, attended by about 150 delegates.

It focused around the current needs of corporate sectors and its future demands from trained professionals. Emphasis was laid on setting up a task force comprising senior officials from corporations, relevant government agencies and academia to work out a mechanism for effective integration of academia and industry. — TNS