On 28 May, Google announced a strategic partnership with the Bengaluru-based Polaris School of Technology to co-create one of India’s first four-year Computer Science programmes, built around Google-certified cloud and big data learning pathways.
The collaboration aims to address the widening gap between traditional academic education and real-world industry requirements by integrating Google’s cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, and professional certifications directly into the undergraduate curriculum.
As part of the newly launched initiative, Polaris will introduce a specialised track in Cloud & Big Data. This curriculum has been co-created with input from academia and industry, aligned with Google's standards.
To ensure practical relevance, Google engineers and partner faculty will directly deliver portions of the programme through dedicated academic modules and semester-long projects. Students will gain first-hand exposure to production-grade cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, AI-native workflows, and large-scale data environments.
Beyond curriculum integration, students enrolled in the programme will receive access to cutting-edge AI stacks, including Gemini and Google Cloud tools. The partnership also includes Google certification pathways valued at up to ₹10 lakh. Furthermore, Polaris will provide up to ₹25 lakh in Google Cloud credits for selected student founders and technical projects, enabling them to build prototypes on the same infrastructure stack used by global startups and enterprises.
“The gap between computer science education and the realities of modern software has become too large to ignore. This collaboration is about bringing students closer to the systems, tools and standards that define global technology today,” Mukul Rustagi, CEO of Polaris School of Technology, said. “We want students to graduate not just with theoretical knowledge, but with meaningful exposure to the environments where the world’s most important technology is actually built.”
The agreement also extends beyond the classroom, offering students access to Google’s broader developer ecosystem. Undergraduates will be able to attend official technical events and developer conferences, providing networking opportunities from the earliest stages of their careers.
Navisha Prabhakar, Regional Lead, Google for Education, South & West India, stated that at Polaris, they observed a leadership team ready to rethink traditional education and achieve meaningful student outcomes through technology, collaboration, and practical learning. She emphasized that the ambition and dedication to transformation aligned naturally with Google’s vision for the future of education.
The partnership is expected to further scale the institution's capacity to prepare graduates for the global tech sector.
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