IITM Pravartak, a technology innovation hub based in the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), has introduced an 11-month Advanced Certificate Programme in Applied Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, developed in collaboration with online education company Emeritus.
A press release announcing the collaboration notes that senior professionals are under pressure to acquire AI skills quickly, often while managing significant responsibilities. It further cites a recent IBM study which reports that 67 per cent of Indian enterprises expect to appoint Chief AI Officers within two years, emphasising the urgency to upskill.
However, it points out that available short-term courses are seen as lacking depth, particularly as AI technologies evolve rapidly.
In this context, IITM Pravartak’s programme attempts to offer more structured training that combines theoretical depth and practical applicability, the press release states.
The course is led by faculty, including Prof C Chandra Sekhar, former head of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at IIT Madras. It includes pre-recorded lectures from IIT faculty, weekly sessions with domain experts, real-world case studies, virtual labs covering more than 25 tools, and a two-week capstone project.
Participants can also opt for a two-day immersion at the IIT Madras Research Park. The programme also includes three IBM certifications.
According to IITM Pravartak, around 65 per cent of the cohort for this programme consists of professionals with 10 to more than 20 years of experience.
Participants said the programme helped them understand how emerging technologies could be used in their sectors, while others pointed to the value of expert-led sessions.
“Our vision is to enable professionals to build strong AI and ML foundations that remain relevant even as technologies evolve,” says Prof Chandra Sekhar about the programme.
He adds, “By blending academic depth with applied learning, we aim to prepare learners who can lead this transformation, not just adapt to it.”