Page 122 - CW E-Magazine (6-2-2024)

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BUILDING PARTERNSHIPS
ICC meet calls for greater industry-institution partner-

ships to sustain growth, profi tability and sustainability

The second edition of the ‘Indus-
try-Institutions Partnership Summit’
organised by the Indian Chemical
Council (ICC) in Chennai on January
10, 2024, has highlighted the need for
greater industry-institution partnerships
in order to sustain growth, profi tability
and sustainability in the Indian chemical
industry.

ICC President, Mr. Rajen Mariwala,
stressed the need for industry to use
academia a lot more than it now does,
noting that the knowledge that resides
in various institutes in the country is not
being utilised adequately by the indus- tion, ICC and the Manali Industries Noting that academic and industrial
try. “Process intensifi cation is a key Association – to set up Chem Skill growth go hand in hand, he pointed
pillar of success, and the role of academia Development Centre (CSDC) in August to some of the collaborations ICT has
and research institutes is vital to lever- 2021, as a non-profi t trust tasked with entered into in recent times, including
aging this,” he pointed out. providing industry-oriented knowledge with global companies such as
programmes to students of Chemical Unilever. “The company mapped out the
‘Synergy never been more crucial’ Engineering. The programme aims expertise available across the country;
Ms. Ramya Bharathram, Additional to compliment theoretical knowledge identifi ed aspects of the project that
Vice President, ICC, also stressed that with industrial practices and impart need to be done inhouse and those
such collaborations are imperative to additional knowledge and skills not part that required expertise from acade-
quickly convert ideas to reality. “Indus- of academic curriculum. mia; identifi ed short-term as well as long
try gains access to a vast pool of talent term projects; categorised them into
and ideas, and academic institutions, on Ms. Bharathram also highlighted consultancy assignments and research
their part, can benefi t by tailoring their some of the challenges that have hitherto projects; and signed MoUs with the
curricula to fi t the needs of industry,” kept partnerships from fl ourishing, institutes, including non-disclosure and
she observed. including divergent timelines and IP sharing.”
research needs; clear agreements on intel-
“Synergy has never been crucial lectual property (IP); as well as cultural Mr. Abhimanyu Roy, Executive
than it is today. Inter-disciplinary teams differences. “Bridging these gaps is key Director, Avalon Consulting, also pointed
can foster innovation, and collaborate to forging ahead.” to some of the factors that have hitherto
on predictive models and analytics to limited interactions and referred to
predict disruptions. Carbon neutrality ‘Several engagement possibilities’ capacity issues (number of research
goals will force adoption of better tech- Prof. Aniruddha Pandit, Vice Chan- students, faculty, funding); lack of
nologies and sustainable practices to cellor, Institute of Chemical Techno- quality in research institutions, research
supply to global customers,” she added. logy (ICT), Mumbai, pointed to several personnel, types of projects, research
engagement possibilities including col- areas; and lack of systems and processes
In this context she pointed to an laboration research projects, consul- in academic settings.
initiative jointly undertaken by three tancy assignments, training programmes
industry associations – the Chennai- for industry personnel, expert opinions, Technologies for speciality chemicals
based, Chemical Industries Associa- and student internships. Mr. Suresh Ramachandran, Country

122 Chemical Weekly February 6, 2024

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