1. iSERC Software Engineering Research Center (India)
An Industry-University Co-operative Research Center
A Proposal for Discussion
Aditya P. Mathur
Professor, Department of Computer Science
Purdue University
February 4, 2003

2. What is iSERC ? iSERC Faculty and students from universities
Companies interested
in supporting and benefiting
from research
prototypes, empirical data,
algorithms, etc.
conduct
research in
sponsor research
projects in
iSERC
Research publications in
international journals and conferences
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3. Objectives of iSERC ?
To promote industry-university collaborative research in all areas of software engineering.
To offer faculty and students a forum for conducting and disseminating applied and basic research in software engineering.
To move India from an absorber and service provider to a producer of new and the most advanced software technology.
Move India into a leadership position.
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4. Organization of iSERC ? Center Director. Manage research program
Recruit faculty and companies
Organize biannual showcases
Research Coordinator
Assist the Center Director with
day-to-day functions of iSERC
Industrial Advisory Board
Advise the Center Director on the
allocation of research funds to research
projects proposed by faculty.
Review center progress and advise the Center
Director on the direction that the center should take.
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5. Industrial Advisory Board
Constitution
One member of each industrial affiliate
Chairman of the board elected by majority vote once every 2 years.
Responsibility
Advise the director on various management
related activities of the center.
Meet twice an year to review progress of funded
projects, evaluate new proposals, and take funding
decisions.
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6. Faculty Responsibility Propose projects in consultation with one or
more members of the IAB.
Conduct research in collaboration with students
and possibly with other faculty, report results to
the IAB, publish and present research in journals
and conferences.
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7. Membership and Funding
Each industrial affiliate pays an annual non-refundable center affiliation fee of Rs. 100,000.
At most 20% of the affiliation fee can be used by
the center director towards meeting the center administrative expenses that include salaries, travel, and other incidentals. .
Ownership rules are defined in the membership agreement signed by the industrial and university members of the center.
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8. Universities Encourage faculty to participate in center research.
Institute a reward system to encourage and recognize research.
Clearly differentiate the administrative and teaching load of faculty who engage in research and those who do not.
Support the center through reduced indirect costs. Preferably all university members should waive indirect costs (IDC) during the first two years of the center operation. Subsequently the IDC must be limited to at most 25% of the cost of a research project.
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9. Suggested Participants
Universities: IIT-D, IIT-K, BITS, Delhi College of Engineering, Delhi Institute of Technology, IIsc, etc.
Industrial: Infosys, Wipro, Microsoft, Dr. Reddy’s. and others.
Note: It is highly desirable that member companies include various manufacturing sectors of the country including software, automobiles, telecom, food processing, clothing, and others.
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10. Sample Research Areas Software process Real-time systems
Testing and debugging
Performance evaluation
Security and safety
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11. How do we start?
Brain storming session: August Prepare in advance white paper, distribute to potential industrial affiliates and universities, and use this brain storming session to finalize the center structure and operating procedures.
Recruitment drive: August-November 2003.
Inaugural Showcase: Late November 2003.
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12. Questions Government involvement ?
Faculty, student, director, and research coordinator compensation?
Credit to students for research work?
Selection of center director? Location? University site management?
International collaboration?
iSERC and other fields of research such as bio-informatics, genomics, MIS, etc?
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