Released on: December 21, 2007, 10:09 am

Press Release Author: Dr BR Natarajan, BITS Pilani Rajasthan 333031 India

Industry: Computers

Press Release Summary: Both the organizations, BITS Pilani which is a pioneer in
industry university collaborations and HP India which is an organization to reckon
with globally have been playing a stellar role in the nation building task for the
last several decades.

Press Release Body: Hewlett-Packard India, Bangalore is a technology solutions
provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company's offerings
span IT infrastructure, personal computing and access devices, global services and
imaging and printing for consumers, enterprises and small and medium businesses.

Birla Institute of Technology & Science ( BITS ) Pilani is a Deemed University
running educational programmes both on-campus as well as off-campus, offering
degrees at all three-tiers, namely, Integrated First Degree, Higher Degree and Ph.D.


Right from 1979, BITS Pilani has been addressing the Human Resource Development
issue of various industries by launching an array of work integrated learning
programmes to synergize the workplace requirements of the industry with the learning
requirements of the university.

BITS Pilani is one among the top ranking universities in India today offering
degrees in various branches of Engineering, Management, Economics, Pharmacy,
Sciences, Engineering Technology, Information Systems, General Studies, Finance, etc
presently at Pilani, Dubai, Goa campuses and in the near future at Hyderabad campus.

The Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU ) between BITS and HP was signed on Tuesday,
December 18, 2007 with the objective of fostering collaboration between the two
institutions to promote academic and research interactions for Industry-centric
knowledge and skill upgradation. The MoU was signed by Prof L K Maheshwari Vice
Chancellor on behalf of BITS Pilani and Shri Zarir Batliwala Director - HR on
behalf of Hewlett-Packard India.

BITS would operate an off-campus centre at HP, Bangalore and run educational
programs to meet the human resources development needs of HP leading to specific
degrees of BITS through its Off-Campus Distance Learning & Collaborative Programs.
These programs will have the same rigour and standards as those offered on-campus,
and will be equivalent to the corresponding degrees offered on-campus.

The educational programmes conducted under this collaborative arrangement will offer
the employees of HP India an opportunity to enhance their academic qualification and
synergize theory and practice on a sustained basis so as to be multi-skilled with
exposure to upcoming technological areas thus enabling them to appreciate key
management concepts and participate better in organizational initiatives, improve
their perspective, and provide meaningful insights.

HP would make available the necessary infrastructural facilities ( such as
classrooms with necessary equipment, library facilities, computer and communication
facilities with access to electronic mail and Internet ) for the smooth and
effective conduct of the educational programmes. HP would also actively provide
corporate support and enable identified resource persons of HP to participate in the
pedagogic aspects of the programme, wherever necessary.

HP would also endeavor to make available the necessary facilities for the
implementation and continuation of the Practice School Program of BITS, Pilani

The candidates admitted to the BITS programmes under this collaborative arrangement
will be treated as BITS students and will be governed by the fee structure and
academic regulations of BITS and also by the service rules and regulations specified
by the sponsoring organizations.

A Coordination Committee consisting of Vice-Chancellor, BITS as Chairman, and two
nominees each from HP and BITS would plan, coordinate and monitor the academic and
research programmes as well as all related operational matters within the framework
of the academic regulations of BITS and the objectives outlined by HP.

In India Today, this tie-up of BITS Pilani is yet another milestone in Industry
University Collaborations

Web Site: http://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/dlp-home

Contact Details: Dr BR Natarajan
Professor & Dean
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Pilani (Rajasthan) 333031 India
Phone 91-1596-242210
Fax 91-1596-244183
brnt@bits-pilani.ac.in
www.bits-pilani.ac.in