ASSOCHAM Goa’s ‘Bridging Horizons’ explores the future of Industry and Academia in collaboration with DITE&C

Goa Khabar : The fourth edition of Bridging Horizons: Confluence of Industry, Institute & Innovation, organized by ASSOCHAM Goa State Development Council, in collaboration with the Department of IT, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, was held at the Government College of Arts, Science, and Commerce, Quepem. The event focused on the evolving relationship between education and industry, highlighting the need for skill-based learning, industry-academia collaboration, and workforce readiness.

The Department of IT, Electronics and Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, has been actively working to align talent with industry needs through skilling, reskilling, and upskilling initiatives. Efforts such as industry-academia meetings, venture capital events, and corporate partnerships are creating new opportunities for professionals and businesses, strengthening Goa’s position in the evolving job market. Bridging Horizons: Confluence of Industry, Institute & Innovation added to this momentum by facilitating discussions on skill development and industry collaboration, further emphasizing the need for a strong industry-academia connection.

The program featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Vijay Borges, Project Director, PMU CARES, Directorate of Technical Education, Government of Goa, on Skill-Based Education – Towards the Future of Work, emphasizing the need for skill-based education that aligns with industry demands. He highlighted the importance of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) such as computational thinking, creativity, collaboration, and ethical awareness in preparing students for the workforce. He addressed foundational learning gaps and noted their long-term impact on academic progress and employability. He also discussed challenges like underemployment, demographic shifts, and the growing influence of automation, stressing the need for continuous upskilling and stronger industry-academia collaboration to bridge the skills gap.

A panel discussion on The Future of Industry and Academia brought together industry leaders to discuss Goa’s potential as an IT hub, sectors expected to expand, and the role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in shaping education and employment. The discussion included perspectives from Mangirish Salelkar, Chairman, IT & ITeS Committee, ASSOCHAM Goa & CEO, Umang Group; Sudip Faldessai, Project Officer, Goa State Innovation Council, Government of Goa; Mohsin Shaikh, Founder Director, Haztech; Mahendra Tiwari, CEO, EthernetXpress India Pvt. Ltd.; Bhavit Naik, Co-founder & CEO, Technorix; and Raghu Shetye, Director, DNA Goa Broadband. The panelists explored how industry-academia collaboration can help bridge skill gaps and create opportunities for economic development.

The discussions at Bridging Horizons highlighted the need for collaboration between academia and industry to align education with workforce requirements. The Department of IT, Electronics and Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, continues to support this effort by advancing skill development and promoting innovation.