upGrad, Microsoft, and IIIT Bangalore launch GenAI for leaders certification

Edtech company upGrad has announced a new Certification on its portfolio, in GenAI for leaders with Microsoft, and IIIT Bangalore, to build a larger community of AI-ready business experts in India. According to the company, this four-month course, is designed with applied learning concepts to train mid-career, and seasoned professionals with core AI competencies.

The curriculum leverages an inclusive framework, enabling learners to assess, design, and transform business problems by applying acquired knowledge to real-life situations. It is supported by tech faculty from IIIT Bangalore, as well as live sessions with Microsoft.

Venkat Krishnan, Executive Director of Public Sector, Healthcare, and Education at Microsoft India, said, “This course not only teaches leadership in the AI era, but empowers leaders to implement, and spearhead GenAI initiatives practically. By joining forces with upGrad, and IIIT Bangalore, we offer real-world exposure, and seamlessly integrate AI tools, into educational frameworks. Our strategic industry-academia collaboration, equips professionals with the skills to thrive in the evolving tech landscape, driving innovation, and sustainable growth in India’s tech sector.”

Dr. V Sridhar, Professor In-charge of Continuing Professional Education, IIIT-Bangalore, said, “It is the need of the hour for senior leaders to understand, how such technologies can be deployed optimally within their organisations, to reap the maximal benefits for all stakeholders including customers, employees, and business partners. With this in mind, we at IIIT-Bangalore, in collaborative partnership with the tech industry, offer this programme targeted at business leaders, to understand, and deploy effective AI solutions in their organisations.”

The pedagogy includes elements, such as the Build Your Own Business (BYOB) Case, where learners develop solutions for their own business cases, ensuring hands-on experience. Participants engage with industry experts like the CTO of Capgemini, an entrepreneur, and former partner at Tata Insights, and Quants, the AI/ML Lead at Jio Platforms, and a former principal data scientist, at HP India through live sessions, and masterclasses.

The curriculum comprises six modules on AI, and Gen AI in business, ROI-focused project planning, curated capstone projects, and workshops with Microsoft. It features over 25 live classes, multiple workshops, and access to AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E.

“This course is not about teaching leadership in the AI era, but, empowering leaders to adopt, and lead GenAI initiatives in a practical way,” concluded Mayank Kumar, Co-founder & MD, upGrad. “Our collaboration with Microsoft, and IIIT-Bangalore, brings together the best of academia, and industry, providing professionals with the skills needed to stay ahead. ”

According to the company, learners completing the course, and graded projects, will be eligible for a completion certification, from IIIT-Bangalore along with a one-day offline immersion, at both – the Microsoft Development Centre, and the IIIT-Bangalore campus. The Hindu BusinessLine