The agreement advances a longstanding partnership focused on connecting classroom instruction with the applied capabilities employers increasingly expect. Through the Qlik Academic Program, participating institutions can provide students
SMEStreet Edit Desk26 Sep 2026
10:50IST
New Update
Qlik®announced an expanded collaboration with ICT Academy through a renewed memorandum of understanding aimed at giving one million more students and educators across India access to practical, industry-aligned learning in data literacy, analytics and AI.
The agreement advances a longstanding partnership focused on connecting classroom instruction with the applied capabilities employers increasingly expect. Through the Qlik Academic Program, participating institutions can provide students and educators with free hands-on access to enterprise data and analytics technology training structured curricula, product qualifications and certification pathways.
Under the renewed collaboration, Qlik and ICT Academy will work together to:
- establish and expand Centers of Excellence at universities and colleges;
- help educators integrate data literacy, analytics, data integration and AI concepts into curricula;
- deliver student learning programs, Learnathons and applied problem-solving challenges;
- deepen engagement with higher education institutions across India; and
- support qualifications and certifications that allow learners to demonstrate workforce-relevant capabilities.
To date, the collaboration has reached more than 200,000 students and educators. The next phase is intended to scale that model nationally, combining ICT Academy’s institutional network and educator-development experience with Qlik’s technology, curricula and certification resources.
“AI readiness starts with data literacy,” said Varun Babbar, Managing Director, India and SAARC, Qlik. “India needs graduates who can do more than use AI tools. They must understand the data behind those tools, evaluate outputs critically and apply analytics to practical problems. Our collaboration with ICT Academy gives institutions a scalable way to build those capabilities. This next phase will help one million more students and educators turn classroom learning into skills they can demonstrate.”
“Data and AI capabilities are becoming fundamental across disciplines, not only for students pursuing technology careers,” said V Srikanth, Chief Executive Officer, ICT Academy. “By combining ICT Academy’s institutional reach and educator-development experience with Qlik’s technology and learning resources, we can help universities embed practical, workforce-relevant learning more deeply into the student experience and strengthen pathways to employment.”
Qlik and ICT Academy signed a preliminary partnership agreement in Chennai in the presence of Dr. Kumar R., Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Information Technology and Digital Services, Government of Tamil Nadu; Dr. Atul Anand, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Information Technology and Digital Services Department; and other government, academic and industry leaders.
India represents the Qlik Academic Program’s largest footprint in Asia Pacific, with more than 1,100 universities, colleges and institutions engaged across the country. The network includes leading IITs and IIMs, , and public-sector skills partners including the Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge.
Qlik also works with five Centers of Excellence across Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai, where students can participate in structured training, pursue qualifications and certifications, and apply their learning through datathons and other practical challenges.
Launched in 2012, the Qlik Academic Program helps prepare university students, educators and researchers for a data- and AI-driven workplace. Qualified participants receive free access to Qlik Cloud Analytics® and Qlik Talend Cloud®, product training curricula covering data analytics and data literacy, product qualifications, certification pathways and educator resources for classroom use.
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