Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET) has forged a pioneering collaboration with American semiconductor giant NVIDIA to establish the Thapar School of Advanced AI & Data Science (TSAAI). The agreement was formalized by R R Vederah, Chairman of the Board of Governors at Thapar University, and Vishal Dhupar, Managing Director – Asia South at NVIDIA.

The new TSAAI will be based on the TIET campus in Patiala, Punjab. “We are thrilled to launch this AI school in technical collaboration with NVIDIA. This initiative will not only address the AI expertise gap but also spearhead cutting-edge research and innovation in this transformative field, aligning with our vision to provide education that prepares students for the future,” said Padmakumar Nair, Director of Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology.

As part of the collaboration, TIET will establish a dedicated data center featuring NVIDIA DGX systems. According to a TIET statement, the infrastructure will be operational by the first semester of the 2024-2025 academic year, supporting a comprehensive undergraduate AI degree program, AI courses across various disciplines, technical training for faculty and staff, research partnerships, and the creation of an AI startup ecosystem powered by NVIDIA edge computing. The institute aims to ensure that within 2-4 years, all graduating students will be ‘AI literate’ through necessary curriculum changes and additional requirements.

Moreover, NVIDIA plans to extend the benefits of its inception program, which supports startups, to qualifying AI startups incubated at TIET. This collaboration positions TIET at the forefront of AI education and innovation, nurturing a new generation of AI experts and entrepreneurs.

This partnership represents a significant advancement in AI education in India, promising to equip students with the skills needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving technological landscape.