BITES signs up for Oracle initiative

The Board for Information Technology Education Standards (BITES) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Oracle India Private Limited to participate in Oracle's global programme called Oracle Academic Initiative.

BITES is a non-profit organisation set up by the Government of Karnataka in association with the industry and education institutions.

The MoU was signed by K R S Murthy, chairman, BITES and Krishan Dhawan, managing director, Oracle India in the presence of dignitaries from industry, academia and government.

Under the MoU, Oracle will provide software and curriculum to 50 of the 130 engineering colleges in Karnataka under the Oracle Academic Initiative programme. The software grants will exceed $95 million.

This takes the value of Oracle's software grants to education institutions to over $140 million.

Oracle will grant software licences for Oracle software products like database, application server and developer suite for teaching purposes and provide training to the faculty members of 50 engineering colleges.

It will also provide internships to students at the India development centres in Bangalore and Hyderabad, thus helping students to get exposure to high-end software product development.

Murthy said that the Oracle academic initiative will help the objectives of BITES which are to promote and accredit IT educational institutions and offer educational support services to students and faculty.

The Oracle Academic Initiative programme already reaches an estimated 9,600 students across the country.