UPES partners with ICONA to establish Centre of Excellence in Future Mobility
Dehradun, Jan 29: UPES has entered into a strategic collaboration with ICONA, a globally renowned automotive and mobility design group, to strengthen education, research, and innovation in future mobility. As part of the partnership, ICONA will recognise UPES as an ICONA Centre of Excellence in Future Mobility, inviting the university to join ICONA’s global network of Centres of Excellence.
The ICONA Centres of Excellence are envisioned as hubs for innovation and development in next-generation mobility solutions, with a focus on electric vehicles, autonomous driving, smart city integration, urban planning, policy development, and sustainable transportation technologies. By engaging with governments, academic institutions, and industry leaders worldwide, these Centres aim to advance collaborative thinking and innovation in the evolving mobility ecosystem.
The recognition has been conferred by invitation only and represents an industry endorsement of the capabilities and potential of the Transportation Design discipline at UPES School of Design. The Centre will operate through UPES’ existing academic infrastructure and virtual engagement, with no requirement for additional physical facilities or financial commitments.
As part of the collaboration, UPES will also host a Centre of Automotive Design Excellence in partnership with ICONA. Aligned with ICONA’s global network, the Centre will enable both institutions to collaborate on strategic initiatives of mutual interest, combining ICONA’s global industrial expertise with UPES’ academic and research strengths. The Centre will operate within established academic norms applicable in India.
The partnership further envisages collaboration in research and development in transportation design and mobility, including joint research initiatives, exploration of grant opportunities, industry-sponsored projects, co-development of innovative design concepts, student internship opportunities, and structured knowledge exchange.
Commenting on the collaboration, Dr Gjoko Muratovski, Chief Innovation Officer, ICONA Design Group, said, “This partnership with UPES is an important milestone for ICONA as we establish both a Future Mobility Centre of Excellence and our new representative office in India. UPES’s vision and breadth of expertise—spanning design, engineering, sustainability, and business—make it an ideal partner for us. Together, we will connect creativity with science to address the complex challenges of future mobility in India and beyond.”
Speaking on the partnership, Mr. Manish Madaan, Registrar, UPES, said, “The collaboration with ICONA marks a significant step in UPES’ journey to build globally aligned, future-focused academic ecosystems. Being recognised as an ICONA Centre of Excellence in Future Mobility reflects the strength of our interdisciplinary approach across design, engineering, sustainability, and policy. This partnership will create meaningful opportunities for research, innovation, and industry engagement, while preparing students to contribute to the evolving mobility landscape.”
Through this collaboration, UPES continues to deepen its global academic engagement and strengthen industry-aligned learning, reinforcing its focus on developing future-ready talent for the rapidly evolving transportation and mobility sectors.