Qualcomm announces 6G University Research Program in India

• The initiative provides 17 academicians from IITs and IISc with funding of about $1.02M to support the development of 6G

India, March 14, 2023 – Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced the inaugural edition of the Qualcomm 6G University Research India Program, in line with the India Government’s Bharat 6G Vision and to support academia research impact and leadership in emerging 6G technologies. An expansion of the company’s existing university research program, the program supports a select group of professors from various IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) and IISc (Indian Institute of Science) in their research in key areas of 6G technologies. The first cohort, comprising 17 academicians, will share the program funding of about USD $1.02 million over a period of three years.

The program is spread across two phases. Phase One, which recently concluded, invited research proposals from the shortlisted universities. Phase Two will be spread across three years and will entail regular engagement between professors, students, and their assigned points of contact , talks on 6G by R&D leads from Qualcomm group companies, and periodic workshops for the participants.

(L to R) Dr. Dhananjay Gore, Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm India Private Limited; Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India

Out of over 40 proposals received, the 17 proposals selected are grouped into Physical Layer (PHY), Physical/Medium Access Control Layer (PHY/MAC), Medium Access Control Layer (MAC), Upper layers, Radio Frequency (RF), with titles ranging from explorations on 6G with Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) to 6G Communications and Applications.

Shri. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India, said “Even as 5G services rolls out in India, the work towards the next evolution wireless technology and 6G must continue. The collaborative R&D efforts of both the private sector and academicians will play a vital role in shaping 6G and defining its standards.

India has the talent to drive world-leading R&D and create Indian-origin IP in this domain, and I commend Qualcomm Technologies' vision behind launching the 6G University Research Program. It will inspire and support the engineering talent in our country in addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

Dr. Dhananjay Gore, Vice President, Engineering, Qualcomm India Private Limited, said “Focus on R&D will underpin India’s 6G leadership. We are delighted to announce the 6G University Research Program to strengthen key research vectors and pave the path for 6G in the country. The initiative will enable collaboration with some of the best academic minds in India as we develop cutting-edge 6G technologies aligned with the government’s Bharat 6G Vision”.

Commenting on the launch of the initiative, Savi Soin, President of Qualcomm India, said, “Qualcomm is deeply invested in accelerating India’s digital transformation journey, advancing the country’s inherenttechnological innovation capabilities. As we set our sights on the 6G, our 6G University Research Program will bring Qualcomm Technologies resources and expertise to the top academic institutions across the country, in line with Bharat 6G Vision, to identify new features and uses cases focused on consumers and enterprises in India and for Global Markets.”

Qualcomm Technologies has several ongoing enablement programs to support the wireless ecosystem across the world. In India, the company supports academia through university grants, awards, and fellowships and start-ups through its incubation program, Qualcomm Design in India Challenge, Qualcomm Women Entrepreneurs’ India Network and Qualcomm Semiconductor Mentorship program. Qualcomm’s L2Pro initiative focuses on creating IPR awareness, encouraging design and innovation among deep technology and semiconductor design startups in India.

****