Technological innovations have changed our lives for good, with software emerging as the cornerstone of modern living. The business world is becoming more competitive and demanding, and it is no secret that IT candidates have to meet higher expectations. This leads us to one of the most debated topics in the world: the gap between industry and academia. This not only makes constantly updating the curriculum vital to a student’s development, but academic institutions must take more responsibility in constantly updating

employees' skills, given the huge skill gap prevailing in the country. The corporate realm can’t train them all! In fact, it also sets apart the best of academic institutions from the good ones.

For instance, the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) has launched a new program, offering an opportunity for software professionals to elevate their skills and expand their careers through its Executive Post Graduate Programme in Software Product Engineering and Management. The new program takes them deeper into the complexities of the IT industry with opportunities to explore the complete software product life cycle consisting of modules on product design, engineering, testing, maintenance, IPR, marketing, finance, and more. During a recent interview with CEO Insights, Prof. Debabrata Das, Director, IIIT-Bangalore shed some light on addressing these gaps. He says, “Technology designs have to attend carefully to aspects of integration and assimilation with key aspects and stakeholders such as the curriculum and pedagogy as well as teachers, students and the entire school ecosystem. This yearly special issue delves deeper into the opportunities and challenges in the IT ecosystem.