SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

1Research and innovation for good jobs

UPES turns research into products, patents and companies, and studies how business, technology and skills shape employment.

2,314+patents, designs and copyrights

56faculty SEED projects funded in 2025

107student SHODH research projects in 2025

The figures below cover UPES research publications on decent work and economic growth from 2021 to 2025 (source: Scopus, October 2026).

447decent work and growth research publications, 2021–2025

12,864citations to these papers

28.8citations per paper

277journal articles and reviews

What the research covers

Number of 2021–2025 papers on each theme (a paper can appear under more than one).

Theme	Papers
Green growth and sustainable business	291
Finance, investment and economic growth	212
Agriculture and rural livelihoods	68
Industry 4.0/5.0, AI and productivity	58
Supply chains, logistics and operations	35
Tourism and services	21
Work, employment and skills	19
Entrepreneurship, MSMEs and start-ups	12

Most cited work on jobs, enterprise and growth

Analysis of artificial intelligence-based technologies and approaches on sustainable entrepreneurship (Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2023), cited 187 times.
Exploring the nexus between non-renewable and renewable energy consumptions and economic development: Evidence from panel estimations (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2021), cited 177 times.
Financial Inclusion and Its Ripple Effects on Socio-Economic Development: A Comprehensive Review (Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 2024), cited 130 times.
Financial inclusion: The role of fintech and digital financial services in India (Indian Journal of Economics and Business, 2019), cited 97 times.
Modelling the critical success factors of women entrepreneurship using fuzzy AHP framework (Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 2018), cited 76 times.

The full list of 599 publications since 2007, with links, is on the decent work research publications page (also available as a spreadsheet).

From research to jobs

From lab to market. The SEED programme helps faculty turn research into products, services and start-ups, and SHODH funds student-led research with potential for patents and new ventures.
Greener small businesses. PhD scholar Shivansh Nautiyal and Dr Sushil Kumar Rai studied the barriers that stop India's micro, small and medium enterprises from adopting greener practices (Sustainable Development, 2025), work that won a UPES PhD Spotlight Award.
Energy, livelihoods and skills. UPES economists and energy researchers study how the energy transition affects development, skills and livelihoods, and in 2021 UPES researchers contributed to a UNDP project on clean energy access, capacity building and livelihoods.

Sources and further reading

2Preparing students for decent work

UPES builds internships, industry projects and career training into every programme so that graduates move smoothly into good jobs or their own ventures.

5 starsQS rating for employability

500+companies recruit and offer internships

2,900+students a year take entrepreneurship courses

155+industry courses through NASSCOM

Career Services. Placement support, career counselling, aptitude and interview training, résumé help, job fairs and employer events, plus UPES Plus certificates in fields such as data analytics, AI and digital marketing.
Industry certifications. With the Power Sector Skill Council, promoted by the Ministries of Power and New and Renewable Energy, students in electrical and energy programmes earn industry skill certificates. TW Academy, with Transworld Group, co-designs courses, certifications, internships and placements in logistics, shipping, aviation and food processing in India and the UAE.
Skills for life. A NASSCOM partnership gives students and alumni more than 155 industry courses and micro-credentials across IT, manufacturing, health care, banking and more.
Social internships. Every first-year student completes the Srijan Social Internship with an NGO.
Founders in the making. Entrepreneurship is taught across engineering, business, law and design, with ideation sessions, business plan competitions and bootcamps. At Udyam 2025 (24–25 April), School of Business societies ran 17 events, including Campus CEO and the Pitch Please pitching contest.

Sources and further reading

3A fair workplace

UPES hires on merit, prohibits discrimination and invests in the growth of every employee, from senior leaders to housekeeping staff.

An equal opportunity employer. UPES's Principles of Engagement bar discrimination by gender, caste, religion, age, marital status, nationality, ethnicity, region, sexual orientation or disability in hiring, promotion, transfers, pay and benefits, and career development, for full-time, part-time and contract staff alike.
Dignity at work. The Code of Conduct guarantees a workplace free of physical, verbal, psychological and sexual harassment, bans corruption and violence, and promises confidentiality and complete protection from retaliation to anyone who reports wrongdoing.
Growing a career inside UPES. Through the Protsahan internal job posting programme, open positions are offered to existing staff before outside hiring. Every new joiner gets a two-day induction and a buddy (Sahayak) to help them settle in.
Training for all. A yearly training calendar and budget cover technical and soft-skills development, decisions on training are made without discrimination, and induction, prevention of sexual harassment and Code of Conduct training are compulsory for everyone.
Education for families. From 2026–27, children of employees, including staff on the payroll of allied services, get a scholarship of 75% to 90% of tuition and academic fees at UPES, with the highest rate for staff in the lower grades. Spouses and the children of employees' siblings are also eligible.
Recognising loyalty. Long Service Awards mark 5, 10, 15 and 20 years with UPES.
Time to learn and live. Staff can take study leave of up to two years, sabbaticals of three months to two years for research, paid duty leave to submit a PhD, 26 weeks of maternity leave, 15 days of paternity leave and 90 days of adoption leave, and non-academic staff work flexible hours around core hours of 10 am to 4 pm.
Leaders at every level. The LEAP programme offers a postgraduate-level leadership pathway, Pragati gives executive coaching and mentoring, and Shikhar trains mid-level managers through intensive modules.
Disha for academic managers. A six-month leadership programme for mid-management academic roles, combining modules on leadership, strategic thinking and decision-making with built-in mentoring. The February–July 2024 cohort brought together 29 professors, associate professors and managers, with sessions led by Amarendra Bhat and Manish Khanolkar.
Young talent. Spark, run from May to August 2025, develops high-performing employees under 30 who show the drive to take on bigger roles, building the skills and mindsets they need for the next step in their careers. The 2025 cohort brought together seven faculty members, managers and executives, with sessions led by Arun Babbar, Ajay Tyagi, Rekha Upreti and Neha Jha.
Support for working parents. A dedicated, child-friendly creche on the Bidholi campus supports staff and students with young children.
Women leaders. The Shakti programme gives women employees nine months of leadership training, and its fourth cohort trained 12 women faculty and managers. Super Shakti (December 2024–June 2025) helps women employees grow into business management and leadership roles.
A community, not just a workplace. Anandotsav 2025, themed "Celebrating Every Shade of Us – Together", brought more than 1,000 employees and their families together for performances, games, music and activities for all ages.
Better teaching. The Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) helps faculty strengthen pedagogy, assessment and curriculum design.
Support staff. Administrative, security and technical staff learn computer skills and English communication, and Project Swavalamban teaches Class IV women employees, including housekeeping staff, English, digital skills, communication, legal rights and personal health.

Shakti 4 participants and trainers gather for a group photo outside a campus building — Shakti 4 participants with their trainers, 2023.

UPES employees in festive clothes pose together at Anandotsav 2025 — Anandotsav 2025 brought more than 1,000 employees and their families together.

Participants of the Disha leadership programme pose for a group photo outside a campus building — The Disha cohort of academic leaders, 2024.

Spark programme participants in matching blue shirts pose on the steps of the UPES Management Development Centre — The 2025 Spark cohort of young employees at the Management Development Centre.

Spark programme participants and a trainer pose for a group photo on campus — Spark participants during the programme, 2025.

Security staff stand beside CPR training mannequins during a first-aid session — Security staff learn first aid and CPR at the Kandoli campus.

The play area of the creche on the Bidholi campus — The creche on the Bidholi campus.

Sources and further reading

4Jobs and enterprise in the community

UPES helps people outside the university find work, build skills and start businesses.

250+start-ups supported by Runway since 2021

₹20 crore+raised by Runway start-ups

₹3 croreawarded at The Pitch, 2025

₹4.9 croreDST incubator for at least 30 start-ups at a time

Start-ups and new businesses

Runway Incubator. Since 2021 Runway has supported start-ups by students, alumni and outside innovators in ed-tech, health, fintech, renewable energy and fashion, with mentoring, business, legal and funding support, Demo Days and the Runway Angels investor network.
Inclusive technology incubator. In 2024 the Department of Science and Technology awarded ₹4.9 crore under NIDHI (₹3.88 crore from DST and ₹1.02 crore from UPES) for an incubator in AI, sustainability and agri-tech that can support at least 30 start-ups at once.
The Pitch. About ₹3 crore went to winning start-ups in 2025, from UPES and institutions such as the National University of Singapore, IIT Ropar and BITS Pilani.
Spark Impact Accelerator. Selected by HDFC Bank for the 8th edition of its Parivartan Start-up Grants (2024–25), Runway launched a three-month accelerator for social-impact start-ups in climate innovation, AI for social good, financial inclusion, education and livelihoods, and gender diversity and inclusion.
Future Founders Challenge. In 2025 UPES invited school students in Grades 9 to 12 to learn entrepreneurial skills in workshops, pitch to industry leaders, connect with mentors and compete for prizes worth ₹5 lakh.
Alumni companies. Ventures founded by UPES alumni include Cognecto, an AI company for mining and construction that raised ₹4 crore in seed funding and has expanded abroad.
Coming next. A planned Atal Community Innovation Centre will offer mentoring, training and funding to local innovators, especially women and young people, working on farming, water, health and clean energy.

Skills and livelihoods

BEST Centre. With Bajaj Auto, UPES runs six-month Graduate Trainee Engineer and four-month Diploma Trainee Engineer programmes in mechatronics, robotics, Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, aligned with National Occupational Standards, with placement guidance and scholarships for students from economically weaker families.
Rural women. Project Vikalp trains women in eco-friendly products, crafts and medicinal plants, and in product development, quality control and marketing.
Women weavers in Ladakh. Project Artisan trains women in design and production of traditional carpets so they can sell higher-value products.
Local makers. During COVID-19, Project Craft Story Making helped artisans, marginalised women and young people sell their handmade products at fairs and exhibitions in Dehradun.
Model villages. Project Utthan promotes sustainable farming, community groups and market access in the adopted villages of Koti and Dhalani.
Families of fallen soldiers. Project Naman helps dependants find jobs, trains widows through Shakti and supports children's education; UPES has itself employed a family member of a fallen soldier.
AI skills for educators. As a consultancy project for GUS Global Services India, the School of Business ran a three-day, hands-on Skill Development Programme on generative AI in business education from 16 to 18 July 2025.
A second chance. With the Skill India Mission, UPES has given vocational training to inmates of Dehradun District Jail.

A poster for the Bajaj Engineering Skills Training centre at UPES — The Bajaj Engineering Skills Training (BEST) Centre.

A school student presents her team's idea to classmates while a facilitator listens — Runway Incubator brings entrepreneurial problem-solving to a government school.

Sources and further reading

5Partnerships and policy

UPES works with government, industry and international networks to align education with the changing labour market.

Government
Industry
NGOs
International

Government. UPES works with DST on the inclusive technology incubator, with the Skill India Mission on vocational training, and with Uttarakhand government departments on entrepreneurship and start-ups. Its innovation work follows the National Innovation and Startup Policy.
Power sector skills. The partnership with the Power Sector Skill Council covers student certification, faculty development, internships, research and consultative policy dialogue on the sector's future skills.
Industry and NGOs. More than 500 companies take part in recruitment, internships and projects, and NGO partners help extend skills and livelihood programmes to rural communities, women entrepreneurs and artisans.
International. Through UCIE, UPES belongs to UBI Global, an international network of university incubators.
Public debate. UPES's President has argued publicly that universities must keep pace with the evolving job market.

Sources and further reading

Events and activities

60 events from UPES schools and departments support this goal. Each links to the original LinkedIn post.

School of Advanced Engineering

From Classrooms to Careers: Real-World Industry Insights for Our Future Engineers

As part of the Orientation Week for our newest undergraduate batch at the UPES School of Advanced Engineering, we kicked off with a flagship panel discussion — “From…

SDG 4SDG 8SDG 9

Source	Type	Used in
UPES R&D Newsletter, July–December 2025	PDF	1. Research and innovation for good jobs
UPES SDG 8 report	PDF	2. Preparing students for decent work 3. A fair workplace 5. Partnerships and policy
UPES Principles of Engagement: HR policies	PDF	3. A fair workplace
Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy	PDF	3. A fair workplace
UPES R&D Newsletter, January–June 2025	PDF	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
UPES Research	Website	1. Research and innovation for good jobs
How UPES is contributing to the SDGs	Website	1. Research and innovation for good jobs 4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
UPES Placements	Website	2. Preparing students for decent work
UPES and NASSCOM	Website	2. Preparing students for decent work
UPES BEST Centre and Power Sector Skill Council	Website	2. Preparing students for decent work 4. Jobs and enterprise in the community 5. Partnerships and policy
Transworld Group and TW Academy	Website	2. Preparing students for decent work
Srijan Social Internship	Website	2. Preparing students for decent work
UPES and SDG 8	Website	3. A fair workplace
UPES goes the extra mile to promote gender parity	Website	3. A fair workplace
UPES Start-Up University	Website	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
UPES Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship	Website	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community 5. Partnerships and policy
UPES Runway: over 250 start-ups	News article	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
UPES fuels start-up dreams at The Pitch	News article	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
About Runway Incubator	Website	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
Project Naman	Website	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
Universities must catch up with the evolving job market	News article	5. Partnerships and policy
UPES decent work research publications: full list	Publication list	1. Research and innovation for good jobs
Udyam 2025	LinkedIn post	2. Preparing students for decent work
Spark Impact Accelerator with HDFC Bank Parivartan	LinkedIn post	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
Future Founders Challenge 2025	LinkedIn post	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community
Skill Development Programme on GenAI in Business Education	LinkedIn post	4. Jobs and enterprise in the community

1Research and innovation for good jobs

What the research covers

Most cited work on jobs, enterprise and growth

From research to jobs

2Preparing students for decent work

3A fair workplace

4Jobs and enterprise in the community

Start-ups and new businesses

Skills and livelihoods

5Partnerships and policy

Events and activities

From Classrooms to Careers: Real-World Industry Insights for Our Future Engineers

Welcoming brilliance, one frame at a time.

Welcome to the World of Innovation, Exploration and Possibilities!

From Fundamentals to Frontiers in Material Engineering

Udyam 2025: Campus CEO and Pitch Please

Skill Development Programme on GenAI in Business Education

Back to Inspire: An Alumna’s Masterclass on Branding, Startups & Career Growth

Internships: The First Chapter of Every Career Story

New beginnings. New ambitions. One journey.

Why Internship Before Placement Makes All the Difference

Igniting the MBA Journey: 14 Days of Transformation

Unleashed: The MBA Class of 2025

Cheers to New Beginnings, MBA Batch of 2025!

UPES School of Business Researchers Publish in Prestigious ABDC A-Star Journal Energy Economics !

From day one, they thought global.

It all started in a classroom.

Bridging the Gap: From Classroom to Global Supply Chains!

From Aspiration to Achievement: A Success Story in the Energy Sector!

Where Education Meets Real-World Impact

Bridging Business Strategy with Digital Transformation

UNIPER: Software Engineering in the Energy industry

Hero Campus Challenge (HCC) Season 10

NAFTANOMICS25

International Conference on Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Pathways to Vikshit Bharat

Back to Inspire: An Alumna’s Masterclass on Branding, Startups & Career Growth

UPES School of Business Showcases Research Excellence at IMRC 2025

Youth Consultation for Viksit Uttarakhand 2047 | Advancing Thought Leadership at UPES SOB

When Business Education Meets Energy Industry Leadership

The Road to Excellence: Hero Moto Corp x Unstop launches HCC Season 10 at UPES.

UPES School of Business Showcases Research Excellence at IMRC 2025

In continuation of the School of Business Emerging Technology webinar series, we bring you yet another…

Welcoming the Future of Tech at SoCS | PG Induction 2025

We were thrilled to host an insightful session on "Navigating Your Future: Cloud Computing Career Pathways…

UDBHAV 2025

From Student to Mentor: A #Success #Story Returns to Campus

A Space Built for Future Healthcare Leaders

On the occasion of World Pharmacists Day, the School of Health Science and Technology hosted an inspiring…

The School of Law is proud to congratulate our alumni for their outstanding achievement in successfully…

The School of Law takes immense pride in announcing the remarkable accomplishments of our alumni who have…

At UPES, the Intellectual Property Cell, School of Law, along with Runway UPES and FICCI, is actively…

The Intellectual Property Rights Cell (CIPR) & Runway , UPES in collaboration with FICCI cordially invites…

Congratulations to our esteemed alumni for their remarkable achievements!

The School of Law, UPES is proud to host a special alumni panel ‘Purani Jeans’ bringing together cherished…

WELCOME TO LEGAL ODYSSEY 2025!

We are thrilled to congratulate Mr. Mohd.

School of Law, UPES had the privilege of hosting the Regional Workshop on Competition Law today (i.e.

Empowering Legal Minds with the CCI

Reflecting on an Inspiring Vidhi Symposium at Vidhiutsav 2025!

Law in Focus: Alumni Conversations on Legal Transformation

We are deeply honored to welcome Hon’ble Mr. Justice UC Dhyani, Former Judge, Uttarakhand High Court &…

UPES Law Fest Vidhiutsav 2025 presents an insightful Vidhi Symposium with Shri Raj Kumar Bajpai, IFS,…

UPES School of Law Alumnus Excels in Delhi Judicial Services!

Empowering Startups & MSMEs: Leveraging IPR for Innovation and Growth

Two Voices. One Passion. Endless Stories.

Step into the soundscape of storytelling!

Dive into the world of storytelling!

Posh Awareness Workshop — Summer Internship 2025

SOCIAL OUTREACH PROGRAM

Spark Impact Accelerator with HDFC Bank Parivartan

Future Founders Challenge 2025

All sources