Chennai, Nov 6:
NIIT University (NU) has entered into a strategic collaboration with enterprise AI firm Fractal to establish a dedicated AI & Analytics Centre of Excellence (CoE), aiming to integrate academic learning with real-world industry practice. The initiative focuses on scalable AI infrastructure, generative AI, agentic systems, and real-world enterprise applications.
Under the partnership, students will gain direct access to Fractal’s Cogentiq platform for building multi-agent AI assistants and automated enterprise workflows. Selected faculty members will provide academic mentorship alongside technical guidance from Fractal experts on industry-aligned projects, exposing students to enterprise datasets, machine learning, and responsible AI frameworks. Third-year B.Tech students will also undertake capstone projects addressing enterprise challenges such as agent interoperability and large language model (LLM) gateways.
Commenting on the initiative, Prof. Prakash Gopalan, President, NIIT University, said: “Industry collaboration is a key element in getting students ready for the changing demands of the workplace. We’re excited to partner with Fractal to help bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice, particularly in AI and analytics. Through this engagement, students can learn to apply machine learning, deep learning and responsible AI concepts to practical challenges, while working with tools and frameworks used in industry. This will equip them with the knowledge and practical skills needed to tackle real-world challenges and work with emerging technologies.” Sandeep Dutta, Chief Practice Officer and Head of APAC at Fractal, noted that the initiative will build practical AI capabilities directly aligned with modern enterprise needs.