SKIllING ASSAM
With Skill India’s special focus on Assam and to extend opportunities to the youth of the State, S Ramadorai, chairman, National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA), met Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to fasttrack the skill development initiatives in the State.
Emphasising the importance of skill development, Sonowal said: “Skill development is the only route which can transform the lives of the youth. We’ve decided to intensify skill development efforts in the State to end unemployment. The NSDC has been assured the required infrastructure for creating state-of-the-art training centres in the State.”
INDIA-SWISS AGREEMENT
India and Switzerland have signed an agreement to establish formal co-operation in the fields of skills development and vocational and professional education and training.
Under the MoU, the two countries would promote and expand bilateral relations through joint efforts in these areas.
Both India and Switzerland agreed to identify suitable institutions/organisations that can support the realisation of key activities/areas of collaboration identified under the MoU.
“The agreement institutionalises co-operation between the two countries in these areas and aims at promoting Swiss vocational and professional education and training internationally,” the Swiss Government said.
START-UP PROGRAMME
German multi-national SAP SE has launched a Start-up Accelerator Programme in partnership with the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), a technology and business incubator at the IIT-Bombay (IIT-B) campus. In addition, they also inaugurated a SAP Innovation Centre on the campus.
The SAP-IIT-B Start-up Accelerator Programme is a cohort based, boot camp led accelerator programme to mentor and boost business growth of 10 social enterprises or start-ups over the next year. The SINE will administer a business incubator that will provide support for technology-based entrepreneurship and help young minds in their first fledgling steps venturing into the market. The common goal is to nurture investable start-ups and make them profitable.
MOU FOR CYBER SECURITY
In a bid to combat the cyber security skills shortage, Data Security Council of India (DSCI), Sector Skills Council National Association of Software and Services Companies (SSC-NASSCOM) and Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) have signed an MoU. The SSC-NASSCOM and DSCI are developing a long-term road map for cyber security skills development in India, and ISACA will lend its expertise in this area to help drive this goal.
“Securing cyberspace and building the next generation of cyber professionals is vital to safeguarding India’s critical information infrastructure. It is a global problem that needs to be addressed by all stakeholders jointly. The NASSCOM has launched several initiatives through DSCI to promote data protection, which are aimed at enhancing cyber security and enabling India to emerge as a leader in this space. There is a need for industry-ready talent that can only be achieved through training. This partnership with ISACA goes one step further in bridging this gap,” NASSCOM president R Chandrashekhar said.
FRENCH START-UP ECOSYSTEM
France has launched French Tech Ticket Season 2, a global competition open to entrepreneurs with start-ups in the creation or growth phase. led by the French Government, French Tech is a start-up ecosystem that promotes the emergence of successful start-ups accompanied by Business France. The unique initiative has created a vibrant international start-up and innovation ecosystem in France. France has been driving a bold start-up policy for some years now and is today one of the leading host countries for the world’s most innovative companies
Each winning team will be awarded €45,000 in prize money and will be hosted in France by more than 40 high-calibre incubators for one full year starting January 2017.
French Tech was created three years ago by the French Government to provide optimal conditions for start-ups with a clear goal: Scale up their growth and enable them to become global champions. Today, this innovation ecosystem is booming, with record numbers of start-ups, double the amount of capital raised between 2014 and 2015 and numerous companies receiving more than $100 million in funding.
RYAN STUDENTS AT NASA
The students of Ryan International School, Vasant Kunj, had the unique opportunity to visit the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), USA. The Ryan International Group of Institutions has always provided a platform for students to participate in various international experiences so that they can widen their horizons.
The Astronaut Hall Of Fame and the Kennedy Space Centre Complex in Florida were the main highlights of their visit. They were exposed to the fields of space, science and technology with the ability to experience, imagine and interact through hands-on activities. They also got the golden opportunity to meet and interact with Samuel T Durrance, NASA payload specialist, who has been a crew on space shuttles Columbia and Endeavour. This trip was an enriching experience for the aspiring astronauts.