Mumbai: IT services and business solutions provider Patni Computer Systems has signed an MoU with Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, for a two-year masters degree in Embedded Systems for its employees.

The course, from September 2007, will give Patni employees a platform to further their educational aspirations while continuing with their professional pursuits, a press release issued here said today.

Patni signed the MoU with BITS through the ‘BITS off-campus distance learning and collaborative programmes’ scheme for upgrading the skills of its employees for growing Product Engineering Services (PES) division of the company, the release said.

Revenues of Indian IT companies from engineering services are growing exponentially with NASSCOM estimating engineering services offshoring to be a $55-billion opportunity by 2020.

“Patni is a learning organisation, and we strongly believe in giving our employees an opportunity to enhance their abilities from both an academic and practical perspective,” company’s Senior Vice-President and PES Head Ajay Chamania said.

“Advance courses in real-time systems, digital signal processing, embedded systems design, data storage technologies and wireless/mobile communication offered through this collaboration, will enable our engineering team to meet the challenges of globalisation of innovation and hi-tech engineering activities,” he added.

Patni also offers its employees an off-campus masters programme in software engineering from BITS, with over 170 employees currently enrolled for it, the release added.