With a view to boost collaboration between industry and academia, IIT Guwahati is set to host the maiden edition of the North-Easter Research Conclave (NERC-2022). The conclave will be conducted in collaboration with the Science, Technology and Climate Change Department and the Department of Education, Government of Assam at the IIT Guwahati campus from May 20 to 22, and will host 3,000 people from start-ups, research councils, PSUs, laboratories and Technical Institutes, both from the North East region and from across the country.

In a statement, the institute said that the conclave will provide players in the industry and in academia the chance to showcase innovation in their technology and products and foster long-term collaborations. The three-day conclave will also include research and development exhibitions, brainstorming sessions, an entrepreneur summit, a programme to sensitise school children towards research as a career option, apart from lectures by scientists, industry experts and policymakers. Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan is also expected to be a part of the conclave, said the institute.

"We welcome scientists, researchers, policymakers, administrators and governments to participate to increase the research activities in the North East which has great potential in terms of resources and people. Focus of this conclave is primarily to strengthen R&D handholding among all the stakeholders of Northeast India and to benefit the local people of the region through research, innovation and start-up,” said Prof TG Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati.