AstraZeneca India Pvt Ltd (AZIPL), the Global Capability Centre (GCC) of AstraZeneca, and SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate industry-academia collaboration through research and development activities, tap into the ecosystem’s innovation capabilities and explore emerging technologies.

S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Vice-Chancellor of SASTRA, Siva Padmanabhan, Managing Director, AstraZeneca India Pvt Ltd (AZIPL) and other senior staff of SASTRA and AstraZeneca were present during the MoU signing ceremony, according to a statement.

“Our collaboration with SASTRA will not only help us to leverage the resources within AstraZeneca and SASTRA in identifying and developing innovative solutions but also will lead up to helping us deliver life-changing medicines to our patients. This MoU will also facilitate upskilling and reskilling opportunities that will further strengthen our capabilities in achieving an overarching vision of ‘India for India’ and ‘India to Global’,” said Siva Padmanabhan, Managing Director, AstraZeneca India Pvt Ltd.

Embracing synergy

The MoU aims to provide opportunities to develop new technologies in the academic departments at SASTRA, ABLEST (The Association of Bio-Inspired Leaders and Entrepreneurs at SASTRA) thus enabling AstraZeneca in bridging the technology skill gap and support the industry through research-backed skilling programs to address the emerging talent needs.

“This MoU symbolises the coherent synergy between AstraZeneca, a world leader in Science & Pharma and SASTRA, a progressive research university to promote innovation & technology leadership through research & capacity building. It has also come at the right time as India embraces Atmanirbhar and the new National Education Policy which are both twin towers for India to be a solution provider to not only domestic problems but also to the world’s,” said S Vaidhyasubramaniam, Vice-Chancellor, SASTRA Deemed University.

The MoU shall aim to deliver on various objectives to advance talent building, train manpower through continuing education, engage in research & innovation in emerging areas, and create societal & environmental impact among other deliverables, it added.