- The new doctoral programme integrates interdisciplinary research with practical ventures, emphasising real world impact through fieldwork and entrepreneurial approaches
Alliance University has introduced a new doctoral programme called PhD VISTA (Venture Innovation for Social Transformation and Advancement). This initiative redefines research by focusing on its potential to drive societal change, aiming to develop scholar entrepreneurs who convert academic knowledge into practical ventures and scalable solutions.
Designed for scholars from disciplines including Business, Law, Liberal Arts, and Engineering, the programme, developed with input from Nagaraja Prakasam, focuses on linking academic research with entrepreneurial innovation. It encourages interdisciplinary approaches that enable scholars to apply their knowledge to address complex social challenges with practical solutions.
Prakasam stated, “With PhD VISTA, we are cultivating a new generation of scholar practitioners, individuals who don’t just publish research but live it, breathe it, and apply it to solve real world problems. This programme transforms intellectual curiosity into scalable impact, especially in underserved communities.”
The programme includes a mandatory course titled Solving for Bharat, a multidisciplinary module taught by Nagaraja Prakasam, based on his book Back to Bharat, In Search of a Sustainable Future. The course adopts a distinctive format, combining 80 per cent field exposure with 20 per cent classroom theory, aiming to develop a problem solving mindset among scholars.
The minimum duration of the programme is three years, with a possible extension up to six years depending on the scholar’s research progress. Award of the degree requires completion of coursework, successful evaluation by the doctoral committee, and adherence to UGC guidelines regarding publications or demonstrable impact outcomes.
