Mumbai: Honeywell has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on sustainability skills and innovation at the institute’s Powai campus in Mumbai.
The initiative aims to strengthen industry–academia collaboration and build a skilled workforce to support India’s growing sustainability and green technology sectors.
Training 1,00,000 Students by 2030
The centre, named the ‘IIT Bombay–Honeywell Centre of Excellence for Future Skills and Innovation,’ will be created and funded by Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm in India. According to an official statement, the initiative aims to train more than 1,00,000 students in sustainability-related fields by 2030.
The programmes will be open to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students from across the country and will offer certificate-based courses that combine academic learning with practical projects addressing real-world sustainability challenges.
Focus on Practical Learning and Research
The Centre of Excellence will support the development of advanced laboratory infrastructure, procurement of specialised equipment, curriculum design, and research and innovation grants. The objective is to equip students with practical skills related to sustainability practices across multiple sectors.
The curriculum will be organised around five key learning tracks: sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, energy security, sustainability infrastructure, and policy advocacy.
Pilot Phase and Expansion Plans
In its pilot phase over the next two months, the centre will focus on establishing core infrastructure, designing specialised curriculum modules and training an initial cohort of around 250 students.
Following the pilot stage, the programme is expected to expand significantly, engaging nearly 20,000 students each year through structured courses, applied research projects, and industry-oriented learning activities.
Addressing India’s Green Skills Gap
The partnership comes at a time when demand for sustainability professionals is rising rapidly. According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, India is expected to create around 3.4 million jobs in the green sector by 2030. However, the renewable energy industry may face a shortage of skilled professionals in sustainability and energy systems.
The new Centre of Excellence aims to bridge this gap by developing specialised training programmes that combine academic knowledge with industry applications.
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