UPES Collaborates with Salesforce to Empower Next-Gen Digital Talent

Introducing a future-ready Salesforce skilling initiative for students at UPES

Dehradun, 29 May 2025: Today, the School of Computer Science (SoCS) at UPES, announced a collaboration with, Salesforce, the world’s #1 AI CRM*, to launch a skilling initiative at UPES, reinforcing the university’s commitment to delivering industry-aligned, real-world education. This first-of-its-kind initiative in Uttarakhand marks a significant milestone for UPES and exemplifies its belief in co-creating future-ready learning ecosystems in collaboration with global industry leaders.

Together, they organised ‘Salesforce Day @ UPES’, focused on the theme “Talent. Purpose. Partners. – Co- Creating the Ecosystem of Tomorrow”. The event brought together leading Salesforce partners, including TCS, Wipro and IBM, who will be supporting the Talent Hub with strategic inputs, mentorship, and certification-backed skilling opportunities for students.

The day began with an ‘Executive Dialogue’ featuring Salesforce leaders, partners, and UPES leadership, followed by Trailblazer engagements, where selected students participated in small-group themed discussions and hands- on workshops led by industry experts. Topics ranged from the ‘College to Cloud’ transition and value of certifications, to cultivating a ‘Client-First Mindset’ and exploring how CRM intersects with creativity. The day culminated in a high-energy student address and panel discussion, which allowed the students to gain direct exposure to real-world industry insights, expectations, and emerging opportunities, through an interaction with Salesforce and partner leaders.

The skilling initiative at UPES SoCS in collaboration with Salesforce was envisioned as a platform that will deliver future-ready Salesforce-certified courses—both paid and free—while also encouraging deeper faculty-industry engagement to ensure continuous curriculum enrichment. Additionally, it will act as a high-impact talent pipeline, connecting UPES students with employment opportunities across Salesforce and its globally renowned network of partners.

With a focus on advanced domains such as AI-enabled customer relationship management, low-code/no-code platforms, customer data platforms (CDP), and workflow automation, the hub will ensure that students are well- prepared for enterprise-level digital transformation projects. These capabilities are aimed at making graduates immediately deployment-ready, enabling them to contribute effectively to the evolving needs of industry.

UPES has consistently focused on skilling its students through robust academia-industry collaborations. This collaboration with Salesforce is the latest addition to this endeavour—creating immersive opportunities in AI, data, cloud, and automation, and preparing the next generation of digital professionals with purpose and precision.

Speaking on the launch, Dr. Vijaysekhar Chellaboina, Dean, School of Computer Science, UPES, said, “The collaboration exemplifies our ethos as the ‘University of Tomorrow’, of integrating real-world industry insights into academic learning. In a digital-first economy, students must not only be well-versed in emerging technologies, but they must also gain industry context and mentorship. With support from Salesforce and its global partners, this hub positions our students at the forefront of digital innovation and enterprise readiness.”

Sanket Atal, Managing Director – Operations & Technology at Salesforce India, shared, “As technology continues to redefine every aspect of how we live, work, and learn, it’s critical that we reimagine how talent is nurtured and prepared for the future. Our collaboration with UPES is a meaningful step in that direction – bringing together academia, industry, and innovation to build a workforce that’s not only digitally fluent but also purpose-driven. By embedding Salesforce skills, tools, and mentorship into the learning journey, we’re equipping students with the certifications, hands-on experience, and industry exposure they need to thrive in an AI-first, digital economy.”

This marks not just a milestone for UPES, but a forward-looking investment in the future of digital education and employability. By enabling deeper partnerships and creating platforms for innovation, UPES continues to shape a learning environment that responds to the evolving needs of industry and empowers students to thrive in a tech- driven world.

For more details, please visit https://www.upes.ac.in/

*Salesforce, the #1 CRM, powered by AI technology and capabilities.