From Our Correspondent
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh has taken another significant step towards positioning itself as a clean energy manufacturing and innovation hub by partnering with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Tirupati and Australia’s University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Solar Manufacturing at IIT Tirupati.
The partnership agreement was signed in the presence of Julian Hill MP, Australia’s Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs, underscoring the growing strategic collaboration between Andhra Pradesh and Australia in renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and higher education.
The Centre of Excellence aims to transform Andhra Pradesh into a national hub for solar manufacturing research, innovation and skill development. It will focus on advanced solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing, recycling and circular economy practices, technology commercialisation, industry collaboration and workforce development.
The initiative brings together the Andhra Pradesh Government’s Centre of Excellence for Energy Transition (CoEET), IIT Tirupati and UNSW Sydney, one of the world’s top-ranked universities and a global leader in solar photovoltaic research and clean energy innovation.
The centre will offer industry-oriented training programmes, executive education, faculty development initiatives, professional certification courses and collaborative research projects. It will also facilitate laboratory development and international knowledge exchange, creating a pipeline of skilled engineers, researchers and professionals to support India’s expanding renewable energy sector.
The collaboration is the outcome of discussions initiated by Minister for Education, IT and Electronics Nara Lokesh during his visit to Australia in October 2025. During the visit, Lokesh invited leading Australian universities and research institutions to collaborate with Andhra Pradesh in clean energy, advanced manufacturing and workforce development. Those discussions have now culminated in a formal partnership.
Speaking on the occasion, Lokesh said Andhra Pradesh’s vision extends beyond expanding renewable energy generation.
“Our vision goes beyond creating renewable energy capacity. We are building a complete ecosystem that combines advanced manufacturing, world-class research, innovation and highly skilled talent. This partnership with IIT Tirupati and UNSW will help establish Andhra Pradesh as a centre for clean energy innovation while preparing the next generation of engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs who will drive India’s energy transition,” he said.
The partnership complements Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious Integrated Clean Energy Policy 2024, which aims to develop the state into a global clean energy manufacturing destination by integrating research, industry and skill development.
The signing ceremony was attended by Education Secretary Kona Sasidhar, Commissioner of School Education Tameem Ansaria, Commissioner of Higher Education Narayana Bharat Gupta, AP Skill Development Corporation Managing Director Ganesh Kumar, IIT Tirupati Director Prof. K.N. Satyanarayana, Australian Consul-General in Chennai Silai Zaki, UNSW Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global) Prof. Lisa Zamberlan, Rebound founder Todd King, and senior officials from the Andhra Pradesh Government, IIT Tirupati, UNSW and the Australian Government.