Andhra, PhysicsWallah ink Rs 1,000 cr deal to set up varsity of innovation

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government and EdTech company PhysicsWallah have signed an agreement to set up a University of Innovation (UoI) at an investment of up to Rs 1,000 crore.

The UoI is set to emerge as the first institute of eminence in the state and aligns with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s aim to provide the state’s youth with education in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.

“We are committed to investing up to Rs 1,000 crores by GSV Ventures - US and other investors, the purpose is to create an institution that combines academic learning with industry relevance. The UoI will help learners with the skills they might need in a constantly evolving job market, in an attempt to foster entrepreneurship and innovation,” said PhysicsWallah founder and chief executive Alakh Pandey in a press release on Friday.

The UoI will work towards blending academic excellence, innovation, and research, focusing on addressing key challenges in education and employability.

Following a hub and spoke model, the varsity will serve as a central hub with satellite centres across the southern state serving as spokes.

Further, in a bid to keep the curriculum aligned with the market, PhysicsWallah is collaborating with industry partners like Amazon Web Services India Pvt Ltd to provide industry-relevant education.

IT Minister Nara Lokesh added that the partnership with the EdTech company aims at advancing innovation and equipping Andhra Pradesh’s youth with skills which align with industry demands and standards.