Airbus inaugurates Centre of Excellence for aerospace research at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya in Vadodara

Key facts

• Airbus has inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for aerospace studies at the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) in Vadodara, Gujarat.
• The CoE will focus on Research and Development (R&D) into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and supporting student-led innovations in future aerospace technologies.
• A key objective of the centre is to develop groundbreaking technologies that transform Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
• The partnership includes a full scholarship programme for 45 meritorious and underprivileged students, with one-third of these scholarships reserved for women.
• Airbus has established a Chair Professor for Aerospace Studies at GSV to support undergraduate, postgraduate, and short-term executive programmes.
• GSV was established as a Central University by an Act of Parliament in 2022 to cover the entire transportation sector, including Railways, Aviation, Highways, Ports, and Maritime.
• The university is headed by Chancellor Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is the Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology.