Tech Mahindra and the University of Auckland Strengthen Collaboration to Boost Industry-Academia Innovation
Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM), a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, announced an expanded collaboration with the University of Auckland (UoA) through an internship program to boost industry and academia innovation. The agreement was formalized through a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed by Harshvendra Soin, President of Asia Pacific and Japan Business at Tech Mahindra, and Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland. The signing took place in the presence of The Right Honourable Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, during his recent visit to New Delhi.
The collaboration extends the initial agreement based on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in September 2024 between Tech Mahindra and UoA. It is part of the University of Auckland's ongoing efforts at the New Zealand Centre in IIT Delhi and includes participation from all eight universities in New Zealand. This collaboration exemplifies Tech Mahindra's commitment to nurturing global talent and setting new standards for association between industry and academia. The internship program, which will commence in the second half of 2025, will offer students from New Zealand universities hands-on experience with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and quantum computing, thus enhancing their employability and fostering technological innovation.
Harshvendra Soin, President - Asia Pacific and Japan Business, Tech Mahindra, said, "We recognize the vital role of bridging academia and industry as a catalyst for innovation and cultivating a future-ready workforce in the digital era. By fortifying technology ecosystems in both New Zealand and India, we are establishing a solid foundation for sustained innovation, economic progress, and collaboration. This effort has the potential to transform industries worldwide. Our continued collaboration with UoA is a significant step in this direction."
The collaboration further aims to accelerate research and innovation across various industries, including banking, healthcare, financial services, insurance, and government. It will focus on emerging technologies in AI and ML, such as spiking neural networks and 1-bit large language models (LLMs), while also enhancing quantum security through post-quantum cryptography. These innovations will have significant applications in healthcare, particularly in drug discovery and the development of personalized digital biomarkers.
Professor Dawn Freshwater, The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, said, “The University is delighted to be partnering with Tech Mahindra on this new initiative, which not only provides exciting internship opportunities for New Zealand university students but, equally importantly, exemplifies the dynamism of the emerging India-New Zealand relationship in the areas of research and innovation.”
The extended collaboration marks a significant milestone in strengthening Tech Mahindra's presence in New Zealand, reinforcing its commitment to skilling, and creating growth opportunities in the India-New Zealand corridor.
About Tech Mahindra
Tech Mahindra (NSE: TECHM) offers technology consulting and digital solutions to global enterprises across industries, enabling transformative scale at unparalleled speed. With 150,000+ professionals across 90+ countries helping 1100+ clients, Tech Mahindra provides a full spectrum of services including consulting, information technology, enterprise applications, business process services, engineering services, network services, customer experience & design, AI & analytics, and cloud & infrastructure services. It is the first Indian company in the world to have been awarded the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Terra Carta Seal, which recognizes global companies that are actively leading the charge to create a climate and nature-positive future. Tech Mahindra is part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies. For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed™ imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com
For more information on how TechM can partner with you to meet your Scale at Speed™ imperatives, please visit https://www.techmahindra.com/
About the University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s pre-eminent research-led public university, with more than 47,000 students and 6,440 staff. It is the country’s largest research organisation and is home to a third of the top-rated researchers in New Zealand. It is a comprehensive university with six faculties (Medical and Health Sciences, Engineering and Design, Science, Arts and Education, Business, and Law, and two large-scale research institutes (Liggins Institute and the Auckland Bioengineering Institute).
The University of Auckland is ranked 65th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2025, 1st in New Zealand in QS’s Graduate Employment Outcomes 2025 and 13th in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024. Five of the subjects the University teaches were ranked in the top 50 subjects worldwide in the QS World University Rankings by Subject in 2025 and 27 in the top 100, based on academic and employer reputation and research.
The University of Auckland’s Vision 2030 details its commitment to ecologically sustainable systems, an equitable and just society, well-being for all, and a thriving economy based on innovation. The University is dedicated to excellence, sustainability, relevance, fairness and a positive impact in all it does.
The University of Auckland, founded in 1883, is a global, national and regional leader in sustainability. It pursues sustainability through its research, teaching and learning, operating practices, partnerships and capacity-building.