A new partnership between Monash University and RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group's Firstsource Solutions Limited will bring together world-leading expertise to co-develop next generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions and advance their practical applications across key business sectors and core AI capabilities.
(L to R): Monash AI Institute Director Professor Shonali Krishnaswamy, Monash Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Craig Jeffrey, Firstsource CEO Ritesh Idnani, Minister Danny Pearson, Monash Vice-Chancellor Professor Sharon Pickering, Faculty of Information Technology Dean Professor Ann Nicholson and Firstsource Senior Vice President Gagan Vohra.
Signed at Monash University's Clayton campus in Melbourne today in the presence of the Victorian Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson, the strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Firstsource and Monash represents a major step in building a high-impact collaboration between the university sector and industry that connects research leadership with real-world innovation and delivery.
Through this alliance, Firstsource and the Monash AI Institute at Monash's Faculty of Information Technology will work together to translate frontier AI research into scalable, responsible and high-value solutions that drive tangible outcomes for business, government and society.
Headquartered in India, Firstsource brings significant experience from their global expertise in cutting-edge technology and digital ecosystem, creating opportunities for joint research, talent exchange and cross-border collaboration that deepen the Australia–India partnership in science and innovation.
Monash University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President Professor Craig Jeffrey, who signed the MoU on behalf of Monash, welcomed the collaboration.
"At Monash, we are committed to creating global impact through collaborative innovation," Professor Jeffrey said.
"This partnership with Firstsource brings together our deep research capability and their proven expertise in digital transformation and innovation to develop and scale technologies and AI solutions that have meaningful benefits for people and society."
Firstsource Managing Director and CEO, Ritesh Idnani said the partnership with Monash University is about translating advanced AI research into real-world solutions that solve critical challenges in healthcare, energy, and other sectors, while nurturing a strong local talent pipeline.
"It underscores our deeper, long-term commitment to Australia — to work alongside leading universities, government, and industry to drive sustainable economic and talent outcomes.
"By combining Monash's innovation engine with our deep domain expertise and outcome-focused UnBPOᵀᴹ approach, we aim to accelerate responsible AI adoption that delivers measurable impact and strengthens Australia's digital competitiveness in an increasingly complex world.
"At the same time, we're building pathways for the next generation of innovators and technologists. This is a model for how industry and academia can come together to shape a more resilient, tech-enabled future."
Minister Pearson said the Victorian Government is proud to back Firstsource in establishing its Australian headquarters here in Melbourne.
"The company's growing presence in Victoria is strengthening our thriving tech sector, creating hundreds of high-value jobs, and building a valuable partnership with Monash University to upskill students and drive real-world innovation in AI – helping to build the tech talent of the future."
The partnership will also create structured opportunities for Monash students to gain hands-on experience through internships, placements and live innovation projects with Firstsource, helping to build the next generation of AI and digital talent in Australia.
Monash AI Institute Director and Associate Dean (Innovation) at Monash's Faculty of Information Technology, Professor Shonali Krishnaswamy, said the collaboration reinforces Monash's position as a global leader in AI research and innovation.
"This partnership brings together Monash's world-class research in advanced AI, including neurosymbolic and optimisation-driven systems, multimodal generative and machine learning approaches, with Firstsource's deep expertise in digital transformation," Professor Krishnaswamy said.
"By combining our complementary strengths, we aim to create AI solutions that are both powerful and responsible, driving breakthroughs initially in health AI and expanding into other sectors.
"Together, we are creating a model for collaboration between academia and industry that enables AI innovations to deliver meaningful, translational impact."
See media kit for:
- Images of the MoU signing
- Group photo from the event
About Firstsource
Firstsource Solutions Limited, an RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group company (NSE: FSL, BSE: 532809, Reuters: FISO.BO, Bloomberg: FSOL:IN), is a global leader providing business process solutions and services spanning the customer lifecycle across Healthcare, Banking and Financial Services, Communications, Media and Technology, Retail, and other diverse industries. With a global footprint across US, UK, India, Philippines, Mexico, Romania, Turkey, Trinidad & Tobago, South Africa, and Australia, they 'make it happen' for their clients, solving their biggest challenges with hyper-focused, domain-centered teams and cutting-edge tech, data, and analytics. Firstsource's inch-wide, mile-deep practitioners work collaboratively, leveraging UnBPO™- their differentiated approach to reimagining traditional outsourcing - to deliver real-world, future-focused solutions that drive speed, scale, and smarter decisions, turning transformation into tangible results for our clients. (www.firstsource.com).
