Chennai: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in collaboration with ITC Hotels and Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), hosted the Chennai leg of its flagship Industry-Academia Connect 2025 at ITC Grand Chola on Wednesday.

Following successful editions in Delhi, Agra, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru, the multi-city initiative continues its push for deeper synergy between educational institutions and industry stakeholders.

Over 50 leaders from academia and industry participated in the Chennai event, engaging in focused discussions on building a future-ready workforce.

The initiative aims to foster a robust education-employment bridge by aligning academic output with the dynamic requirements of India's industrial landscape.

Key speakers included Sougata Roy Choudhury, Executive Director, CII; Nilesh Mitra, Vice President, Talent Management, ITC Hotels; Anish Dhiman, Programme Head, CII Institute of Hospitality; Mike Muralidharan, Chairman, Ethiraj College for Women and Board Director, Bahwan CyberTek Group; Kewyn George, Centre Head & Director, Expeditors International; and R V Chari, Managing Director, GH Induction India Pvt Ltd.

“Adaptability, empathy, and precision are crucial in hospitality—traits best cultivated through hands-on training. The VET by EHL programme, implemented in partnership with CII, brings this critical industry exposure to students,” said Mitra.

Highlighting the need to prepare for yet-to-emerge roles, Muralidharan added, “The focus should shift from upskilling to foreskilling—equipping students to meet future challenges.”

Choudhury emphasized the shared responsibility between industry and academia in talent development, noting, “Future-readiness requires co-ownership in shaping skills and opportunities.”

The Connect series builds on the success of the 18-month VET by EHL Swiss Professional Diploma programme, which has trained over 800 students with a 100% placement rate across top hospitality brands in India.

The next stop for the initiative is Mumbai.