Bengaluru: Alliance University has officially launched PhD VISTA (Venture Innovation for Social Transformation and Advancement), India’s first full-time multidisciplinary doctoral program designed to seamlessly integrate academic research with entrepreneurial innovation.
This landmark initiative positions Alliance University as a frontrunner in reimagining doctoral education, combining academic rigor with real-world impact. The program spans disciplines such as Business, Law, Engineering, and Liberal Arts, enabling scholars to create scalable solutions to pressing societal challenges.
Curated by impact investor and grassroots innovation leader Nagaraja Prakasam, the PhD VISTA program emphasizes field immersion and socially relevant problem-solving. A signature element is the “Solving for Bharat” course – based on Prakasam’s book Back to Bharat – which follows a unique 80:20 field-to-classroom ratio, fostering experiential learning.
Dr Priestly Shan, Vice-Chancellor, Alliance University, stated, “Ph.D. VISTA reflects our vision of transforming academic research into actionable solutions that contribute to India’s development goals. This program empowers scholars to lead with purpose, innovation, and empathy.”
The program’s curriculum supports collaboration with industry, startups, NGOs, and government bodies. Doctoral candidates receive structured mentorship from faculty, venture capitalists, and domain experts. The university further facilitates startup incubation, IP protection, and commercialization support – encouraging entrepreneurship from ideation to execution.
PhD VISTA Emphasizes Collaboration and Social Transformation
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PhD VISTA emphasizes Collaboration and Social Transformation. Admission requires a master’s degree with 55% marks, an entrance test, an interview, and a submission of a real-world business problem statement.
The program is currently accepting applications. More information is available at: https://www.alliance.edu.in/programme/phd-in-vista
