In a major boost to India’s academic and technological landscape, Sony Research India and Goa University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 14, 2025, to establish the Advanced Artificial Intelligence (AAI) Laboratory — the first industry-supported AI research lab at Goa University. The lab will be housed at the Goa University Research Park Unit (GURU), a hub for innovation, incubation, and industry-academic collaboration.
The MoU was signed in the presence of representatives from both institutions. Sony Research India was represented by Dr. Pankaj Wasnik (Director – T&D) and Mr. Arithy MV (Manager – Strategy & Partnerships), while Goa University was represented by its top academic leadership, including Prof. Harilal Menon (Vice-Chancellor), Prof. Sundar Dhuri (Registrar), Prof. Ramesh Pai, Prof. Sanjeev Ghadi, Prof. Sandeep Garg, and others. Dr. Narayan Vetrekar and Prof. Rajendra Gad will serve as Principal Investigators leading the initiative.
The AAI Laboratory aims to promote cutting-edge research in Advanced Artificial Intelligence, with a special focus on multimodal data — the integration and interpretation of diverse data types such as text, images, and audio. The lab is designed to support a comprehensive research ecosystem that includes:
- Fellowship programmes for emerging researchers
- Joint research projects with Sony scientists
- Guest lectures and workshops
- Training programmes to build capacity in AI and related domains
Sony Research India’s participation marks a forward-thinking commitment to nurturing innovation at the university level. The lab will provide infrastructure, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities with Sony’s global AI research teams.
Housed within GURU, the Goa University Research Park Unit, the AAI Lab represents the university’s growing emphasis on research, industrial engagement, and innovation. GURU, created with support from the Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Goa, aims to bridge the gap between academia and industry, offering platforms for intellectual and entrepreneurial development.
For Goa University, this partnership with Sony Research India isn’t just about a physical laboratory — it’s about creating a long-term ecosystem of innovation that nurtures talent, drives impactful research, and puts Goa on the map as a hub for AI-driven academic excellence.
As the first-of-its-kind collaboration at the university, the AAI Lab is a blueprint for future university-industry partnerships in India, offering scalable models for joint research, knowledge exchange, and global skill development in the age of artificial intelligence.
