KL University Collaborates with Salesforce to Establish Tableau Lab and Build AI-Ready Analytics Talent

Industry-academia collaboration will give students hands-on exposure to enterprise analytics, AI-powered Tableau capabilities and applied business learning

India – Bangalore, September 29, 2026: KL University announced a collaboration with Salesforce, the #1 AI CRM*, to establish a Tableau Lab, a structured academic-industry initiative, aimed at strengthening data literacy, analytical thinking and AI skills among students. The initiative will provide students hands-on experience with Tableau, the AI-first analytics platform that turns data into action, while bringing real-world business applications into the academic environment. The Lab will introduce students to agentic analytics and help them build capabilities that go beyond data visualisation to understand how organisations use data, insights and AI to support business decision-making.

Through our collaboration with Salesforce, the Tableau Lab will give students opportunities to work with data in practical contexts, strengthen analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and gain exposure to AI-powered analytics.

Dr. G Pardha Saradhi Varma, Vice Chancellor, KL University

The Lab will offer a structured Tableau eLearning pathway, spanning foundational data and analytics skills through advanced AI-powered and agentic analytics. Students will work with industry datasets and business case simulations, developing skills in dashboard creation, cross-functional problem-solving, conversational analytics, predictive insights and data-driven storytelling, with exposure to capabilities such as Tableau Agent and Tableau Pulse. Accessible to learners across undergraduate, postgraduate and research programs, the initiative will emphasise applied learning through business projects, analytics hackathons and e-learning modules. Students will also have opportunities to build Tableau Public profiles, interactive dashboards, business insight presentations and analytics portfolios that demonstrate their skills.

Through our collaboration with KL University, we are bringing AI-first analytics closer to the academic experience, giving students practical exposure to how data and AI come together to solve business problems and helping build the skills needed for an increasingly agentic economy.

Romil Agarwal, VP, Sales, Salesforce India

Complementing student learning, Salesforce will support faculty through a Train-the-Trainer approach focused on the analytics lifecycle and emerging AI capabilities, helping strengthen the integration of industry-relevant analytics learning into future curriculum cycles. The initiative will also support KL University’s research and innovation priorities.

Students and faculty completing eligible programs will receive joint course-completion certificates issued by Salesforce and KL University. Through Salesforce’s Campus to Career Connect initiative, graduates will also have opportunities to engage with employers across the Salesforce ecosystem through industry interactions and career opportunities, helping create a stronger bridge between classroom learning and the workplace.

Comments on the news:

Romil Agarwal, VP, Sales, Salesforce India, said, “As AI becomes increasingly embedded in how organisations work with data and make decisions, data fluency is becoming a foundational skill for the future workforce. Students will need to go beyond interpreting dashboards to understand how to explore data, apply context and turn trusted insights into action. Through our collaboration with KL University, we are bringing AI-first analytics closer to the academic experience, giving students practical exposure to how data and AI come together to solve business problems and helping build the skills needed for an increasingly agentic economy.”

Dr. G Pardha Saradhi Varma, Vice Chancellor, KL University, said, “Preparing students for the future requires us to continuously connect strong academic foundations with the technologies and skills shaping industry. Through our collaboration with Salesforce, the Tableau Lab will give students opportunities to work with data in practical contexts, strengthen analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and gain exposure to AI-powered analytics. At the same time, faculty enablement and support for research and innovation will help us build these capabilities more deeply across the university and keep learning aligned with evolving industry needs.”

The collaboration builds on Salesforce’s broader commitment to strengthen India’s AI talent ecosystem and prepare the workforce for jobs of the future. In June 2026, Salesforce committed to equip one million learners across India with AI-focused skills by 2030 through programs spanning academic institutions, government agencies and industry partners. Through initiatives such as the Tableau Lab, Salesforce is working with academia to expand access to industry-relevant learning, hands-on technology experience and skills that can help students participate in an increasingly agentic economy.

*Salesforce, the #1 CRM, powered by AI technology and capabilities.