Skill development is an important driver for industrial and economic growth of India. For crystallizing the ‘Make in India’ vision a large pool of skilled workforce has to be created quickly. Under the leadership of President and Founder, Symbiosis Padma Bhushan Dr. S B Mujumdar & Dr. Swati Mujumdar, Principal Director, Symbiosis Open Education Society, Symbiosis is establishing India’s 1st Skills Development Universities at Pune and Indore respectively.

Today students shy away from pursuing skill based courses due to lack of social acceptability & vertical mobility for such courses. At the same time the industry needs a large pool of skilled manpower. To bridge this gap and recognizing the problems with the present skill development domain, Symbiosis has decided to establish a University which will focus on creating solutions to address these issues. This self-financed University will create a platform for students to not only obtain skills but also obtain credentials in the form of degrees and give them social acceptability. The University will offer vertical mobility to students desirous of obtaining skills coupled with a strong foundation of theory.  Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees will be offered with multi entry exit and credit banking options. 

Programs in high growth sectors such as Automobile, Construction, Manufacturing, Logistics, Retail, Banking, IT, Beauty and Wellness etc. will be offered to enable students to become industry ready and be gainfully employed.

Partnerships with industry for joint curricula development, skill training, on the job training, joint applied research projects etc. will be undertaken by the University. Center of Excellence, labs, simulation software and training workshops will be created to impart skill & practical training.

The open and distance learning programs will complement the skill based courses. These ODL programs are aimed at Reaching the Unreached and providing educational opportunities to students from all strata of society and to those located in remote corners. The ODL programs will enable students who are not fortunate to pursue on-campus education, the opportunity to continue to acquire knowledge and progress in life. The continuing education and lifelong learning options will help working professionals, home makers and drop outs to obtain education at their own pace and time and from any location.

The University also plans on creating a Community College and Community Resource Center which will offer empowerment and livelihood oriented short term courses to local farmers, women and children. The University has planned a Department of Interdisciplinary Sciences to offer courses in life coping skills to make the students more confident and fit for life