Gandhinagar: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) has launched its Industry–Academia Roundtable series, bringing together academic institutions and industry stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and align talent development with the needs of India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC).

The first roundtable, held recently at GIFT City, brought together senior academic leaders, placement heads, HR and talent acquisition leaders, and sectoral experts from leading universities and institutions of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, along with technology and GCC companies from GIFT City, to discuss aligning academic outcomes with evolving industry requirements.

The discussions focused on bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, particularly in sectors such as financial services, fintech, and technology. Key areas of focus included curriculum alignment, structured internships, live industry projects, research collaboration, and the development of talent pipelines aligned with evolving industry needs.

Participants highlighted the importance of moving towards a more integrated approach, where academic programmes are closely linked with real-world industry exposure to enhance employability outcomes.

Ms. Shefali Gaur, Leader – Americas Service Engineering at IBM, said, “The future workforce will be defined not just by degrees, but by adaptability, digital fluency, and a problem-solving mindset. Platforms like this are important to align academic outcomes with industry needs and build employable talent.”

Mr. Nimay Kalyani, Campus Director, University of Wollongong, said, “To prepare job-ready graduates, the industry–academia relationship needs to evolve from alignment to integration. This will help students develop both technical knowledge and the ability to solve real-world challenges.”

GIFT City plans to expand the Industry–Academia Roundtable series to key cities across India, creating a broader platform to connect academic institutions with industry partners linked to its ecosystem. The initiative is expected to improve employability, strengthen institutional partnerships, and support the development of a skilled talent pool.

Through such initiatives, GIFT City continues to strengthen its focus on talent development and support the long-term growth of its financial and technology ecosystem.