The institution has been established as a next-generation university dedicated to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and management disciplines. Guided by the vision “Build. The Future.”, RISM will operate from a fully residential campus designed to create an immersive environment where academic excellence, research, entrepreneurship, industry engagement, sports, culture, leadership, and wellness converge.
The university’s main residential campus is being developed in Bengaluru’s Information Technology Investment Region near Devanahalli, strategically located close to major innovation hubs and industrial centers. Academic activities will commence from a transit campus in Yelahanka in August 2026, while the permanent campus is expected to become fully operational by September 2028.
Addressing the inaugural event, Dr. M. R. Jayaram, Chairman and Trustee of Gokula Education Foundation (Medical) and Chancellor of RISM, described the launch as the realization of a vision nurtured for nearly 25 years. He emphasized that the institution was created to transform higher education from traditional teaching-based systems into learning-centered ecosystems capable of contributing directly to industrial and economic development.
Explaining the rationale behind the university’s establishment, Dr. Jayaram stated that India’s education sector had not evolved at the same pace as industry liberalization since 1990, resulting in a substantial gap between academic outcomes and industry requirements. RISM, he said, has been designed to bridge this divide through experiential and outcome-based learning integrated with industry from the beginning of a student’s academic journey.
A defining element of the institution is its comprehensive knowledge partnership with the University at Albany. According to Dr. Jayaram, the collaboration emerged after an 18-month search for a meaningful academic alliance rather than a transactional arrangement. He highlighted that the partnership includes co-developed curricula, faculty engagement, shared academic standards, international pathways, and collaborative research initiatives.
Describing the broader vision of the institution, Dr. Jayaram stated that RISM seeks to transform learning into systems, products, and practices capable of serving large sections of society. He also underscored the institution’s guiding philosophy, “Knowledge, Science, and Devotion as a River,” which forms the foundation of its educational mission.
He further revealed that RISM forms part of a larger ecosystem that includes the Ramaiah Academy Foundation, dedicated to skill development, and Vyuha Deep Science, a translational research center focused on advancing scientific innovation and commercialization. Together, the three entities are intended to create a comprehensive framework connecting education, research, skills development, innovation, and enterprise creation.
Dr. Havidan Rodríguez, President of the University at Albany, State University of New York, emphasized that higher education systems established decades or centuries ago were designed for economic realities that no longer exist. He stated that RISM has been built from the ground up to thrive in and lead a rapidly evolving global economy.
Rodríguez highlighted that the university’s academic framework is deeply integrated with industry and international collaboration, enabling students to address real-world challenges in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, health equity, and climate change. He described the partnership between the two institutions as a powerful example of transformational international cooperation and reaffirmed their shared commitment to building the future together.
Sri Gurucharan Gollerkeri, Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer, outlined the university’s strategic focus on STEM and management disciplines. He stated that RISM will offer rigorous foundational science programs aimed at developing transferable technological capabilities while emphasizing industry-embedded capstone projects that embrace the principle that practical application is central to learning.
Gollerkeri also stressed the importance of translational research, noting that students will be encouraged to apply knowledge to generate tangible societal benefits. He advocated a shift from conventional teaching institutions to learning institutions that combine academic knowledge with practical application, embed industry partnerships, benchmark against global standards, and facilitate the progression of ideas from laboratory research to prototypes, market validation, commercialization, and societal impact.
He further emphasized that in the age of artificial intelligence, institutions must strengthen uniquely human attributes such as curiosity, creativity, judgment, ethics, empathy, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Providing an overview of the university’s academic model, Prof. Raghunandan, Chairman of the RISM Task Force, stated that the institution will redefine higher education by focusing on capability development rather than credential acquisition. He explained that RISM’s programs are rooted in extensive industry co-creation and translational research, combining strong academic fundamentals with continuous applied engagement through internships, live industry projects, industry-sponsored Centers of Excellence, and an extensive three-year capstone project beginning in the second year of study.
Prof. Raghunandan also highlighted the university’s Mentor Professor model, under which senior industry leaders will become part of the academic ecosystem to ensure curriculum relevance and enhance graduate employability. Interdisciplinary schools dedicated to artificial intelligence, aerospace, electrical sciences, and technology management will support cross-domain innovation, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship.
He noted that the university’s fully residential and outcomes-driven framework is designed to cultivate leadership, resilience, social responsibility, and technical expertise. Supported by its location within Bengaluru’s innovation corridor and strengthened through partnerships with global universities, RISM aims to produce professionals capable of translating research into scalable solutions, successful enterprises, and meaningful societal contributions.
The launch of RISM represents a significant development in India’s higher education sector, introducing a model that combines global academic standards, deep industry collaboration, translational research, and societal impact. Through its partnership with the University at Albany and its emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, and practical learning, the institution seeks to prepare a new generation of engineers, scientists, managers, and innovators capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly technology-driven world.
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