Extracts from Speeches at the Inaugural Event Today.
Dr. M. R. Jayaram, Chairman and Trustee of Gokula Education Foundation (Medical) and Chancellor Ramaiah Institute of Science and Management,
Dr. M R Jayaram, Chairman and Chancellor of RISM: described the day as “A great day for us. It has taken almost 25 years of dreaming of what has come true today.” He traced his journey of lifelong commitment and experiential learning in higher education that helped to launch a transformative higher education system that brings in the new change of “teaching institutions” to true “learning institutions.”
Why RISM? The Vision Behind the Institution
Dr. Jayaram explained that India’s education sector has lagged industry liberalization since 1990, creating a 40-year gap between industry needs and educational outcomes. RISM was conceived to bridge this chasm through experiential, outcome-based learning embedded with industry from day one.
Why U Albany -Global Knowledge Partnership,
A defining feature of RISM is its genuine knowledge partnership with the University at Albany (State University of New York), chosen after 18 months of searching. Dr. Jayaram emphasized: “We wanted a genuine knowledge partnership, not a transactional arrangement where knowledge is offered as a service for a fee. We were looking for something deeper and more meaningful.”
Dr. Jayaram affirmed that partnership’s depth, centered on co-developed curriculum, faculty engagement, shared academic standards, international pathways and research collaboration.
“This is a great day for us. It has taken me almost 25 years of dreaming for what has come true today. We have had excellent teaching institutions, but did they truly contribute to India’s industrial and economic growth? That was the biggest question I faced. RISM is my answer to those questions. RISM is designed to transform institutions from teaching to learning, to translate learning into systems, products and practices, and to serve the largest sections of society in this country.”
Philosophy and Future Vision
Ramaiah philosophy—“Gnyanam, Vignyanam cha Bhakti Saritam” (Knowledge, Science, and Devotion as a River)—guides its mission. Dr. Jayaram described his role as a “younger brother” learning from global “elder brothers” U Albany to build institutions that serve India.
The institution represents a triad: RISM (the university), Ramaiah Academy Foundation (skill development), and Vyuha Deep Science (Deep Science Translational Research Centre), creating a 360-degree ecosystem from learning to commercialization.
As Dr. Jayaram concluded: “I want to learn for my country, and give a learning institution for India’s next generation, RISM’s launch signals a new possibility: global-benchmark universities rooted in Indian realities, ready to produce engineers who are adaptable, ethically grounded, and capable of translating ideas into societal impact in the age of AI.”
Dr. Havidan Rodríguez, President, University at Albany, State University of New York stated that, “Higher education systems-built decades or centuries ago served an economy that no longer exists; RISM is being built from the ground up to thrive in today’s rapidly changing economy—and to lead it, not just follow it.”
Rodriguez highlighted that RISM’s DNA is infused with industry and global collaboration, ensuring students solve real-world problems in AI, cybersecurity, semiconductors, health equity, and climate change. He concluded with UAlbany’s motto: “Today, like every single day, it is a great day to be a Great Dane,” declaring that “today is a true manifestation of what a truly transformational partnership can do for our countries.”
Together, the two institutions pledged: “Together we are going to build the future—and we are starting today.”
Sri Gurucharan Gollerkeri, Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer in his strategic address stated that, “RISM will be uniquely focused on STEM and management disciplines, offering rigorous foundational science programs designed to develop transferable technology skills. The institute will emphasize industry-embedded capstone projects that follow the principle “doing is learning,” and will promote translational research that encourages students to apply knowledge for societal benefit.”
He stated, “We must move from being mere teaching institutions to becoming learning institutions—combining knowledge with practice, embedding industry partners, and benchmarking ourselves against global standards, so that ideas move from lab to prototype, prototype to validation, validation to market, and market to societal impact, and in the age of AI, we reinforce what makes us human: curiosity, creativity, judgment, ethics, empathy, and the ability to work across disciplines.”
Prof. Raghunandan, Chairman, Task Force RISM, explaining how RISM will distinguish itself across India’s higher‑education echelons. “RISM will redefine India’s higher education echelons by shifting from credentialing to capability-building. Rooted in deep industry co‑creation and translational research, our programmes merge rigorous fundamentals with continuous, applied engagement—internships, live projects, industry‑sponsored Centres of Excellence, and a three‑year capstone starting in year two. The Mentor Professor model embeds senior industry leaders within the faculty, ensuring curriculum relevance and career‑ready graduates. Interdisciplinary schools in AI, aerospace, electrical sciences, and technology management will accelerate cross-domain problem solving and entrepreneurship. A fully residential, outcomes-driven ecosystem will cultivate leadership, resilience, and social responsibility alongside technical mastery. Strategically located in Bengaluru’s innovation corridor and partnering with global universities, RISM will produce professionals who translate research into scalable solutions and new enterprises. In doing so, RISM will elevate academic standards, employer trust, and societal impact—creating a replicable model that advances India’s leadership in technology, industry collaboration, and inclusive national development.”
