Bridging the Gap: Industry-Academia-NGO Interaction Report

NGO Interaction Meet was held on 3rd December 2025 at The Textile Association (India), Mumbai Unit. The meeting was curated by Dr Ela Dedhia, Founder Director of Anveshanam Foundation. The collaborators were The Textile Association (India), Mumbai Unit and Textile Value Chain. 4 from nonprofit, 8 from Industry, and 5 from Academia were gathered for the interaction.

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Meeting Summary

The meeting brought together representatives from academia and the textile and fashion industries to address the widening gap between institutional education and real-world industry expectations. Participants expressed shared concern that graduates entering the textile sector often lack foundational knowledge, hands-on skills, and professional readiness required by employers.

The discussion began with reflections on the responsibility of individuals and institutions to contribute to society by preparing future generations with relevant skills. Speakers stressed that while funding can support infrastructure and growth, the more significant need is knowledge exchange, mentoring, and industry engagement.

A recurring point was the role of curriculum design. Autonomous colleges are able to revise curricula more frequently and adapt to emerging industry trends, whereas affiliated institutions face lengthy approval processes through university governing bodies, delaying updates for years. With rapidly evolving technologies and market shifts in textiles, this misalignment contributes to students graduating with outdated knowledge.