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NE EDUCATION BUREAU
VADODARA, FEB 4
In a decisive push towards sustainable aviation, indigenous innovation and skilled human capital, Airbus on Wednesday inaugurated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Aerospace Studies at the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) in Vadodara, Gujarat—India’s only industry-driven university dedicated to the transportation and logistics ecosystem.
The CoE, announced in 2024 and operationalised within a year, marks a major milestone in the deepening Airbus–GSV partnership, aimed at strengthening India’s aerospace value chain through organic research, innovation and future-ready talent development. A defining focus of the Centre will be R&D in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), alongside nurturing student-led innovations in emerging aerospace technologies.
The Centre was inaugurated by Jürgen Westermeier, President and Managing Director, Airbus India and South Asia, in the august presence of Her Highness Rajmata Shubhanginiraje Gaekwad, Member of the Court of GSV, and Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Choudhary, Vice Chancellor, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.
Highlighting the national significance of the initiative, Prof. (Dr.) Manoj Choudhary, Vice Chancellor of GSV, said, “Under the guidance of our Hon. Chancellor Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya is converting industry-driven innovation-led vision into reality for building highly skilled human capital and new technologies for the entire transportation and logistics sector. Airbus has been the foremost leader to set up one of its kind Industry-Academia partnership with GSV which has now become a template for the country. The inauguration of the CoE is yet another tangible step to realize our shared mission and partnership for aerospace sector growth in the country, in addition to earlier actions for setting up Airbus Chair Professorship and Airbus Scholarships. This whole of the sector approach envisaged by our Hon. PM Sh. Narendra Modi shall be a key enabler for Viksit Bharat by 2047.”
Reiterating Airbus’ long-term commitment to India’s aviation future, Jürgen Westermeier said, “The inauguration of this Centre of Excellence at Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya marks a milestone in our mission to support the creation of a robust aerospace ecosystem in India. This Centre is a clear demonstration of Airbus’ commitment to R&D and innovation, focusing on groundbreaking technologies that will transform Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). We are pleased that this collaboration between Airbus and GSV will empower students with the skills to lead overall ecosystem development, shaping India’s future aviation landscape and supporting the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.”
Since 2024, Airbus and GSV have built a holistic, multi-layered partnership covering education, research and inclusion. This includes a full scholarship programme for 45 meritorious and underprivileged students, with one-third of the scholarships reserved for women, reinforcing diversity in aerospace careers. To institutionalise academic excellence, Airbus has also established a Chair Professor for Aerospace Studies to support UG, PG and executive education programmes.
The collaboration has further expanded into high-impact applied research, with a Joint Study Agreement providing grants for R&D focused on converting MSW into SAF, creating the foundation for a locally sourced, circular aviation fuel economy.
Established as a Central University by an Act of Parliament in 2022, GSV is mandated to cover the entire transportation spectrum—from railways and aviation to ports, highways, urban transport and logistics—under the chancellorship of Union Minister Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw, positioning it as a national catalyst for integrated mobility and infrastructure innovation.
