Tata group firms such as Tata Sons, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) have signed agreements with the world's leading academic institutions, including Harvard University, to fund research and development (R&D) opportunities.

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Tata Chemicals, Tata Communications and Tata Steel are the other firms that have forged similar collaborations with Yale University (US), the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and the Royal Society (UK).

"The financial support, exceeding $25 million, will be spread over time, in line with the tenure of individual alliances with the institutions," Tata Sons said in a statement.

Tata Sons, Tata Communications, Tata Steel and JLR have established a six-year research alliance with Harvard University on soft robotics, advanced materials and sensor technologies as some of the interest areas.

The five-year alliance with Yale by Tata Sons, TCS and Tata Chemicals deals in network sciences, consumer behaviour and other research opportunities.

Tata Steel has engaged with IIT-M in advanced materials.

The collaboration with the Royal Society, UK, announced in June 2016, is a fellowship funding with participation from Tata Sons, JLR and TCS.

The first Royal Society Tata University Research Fellows are due to be appointed in October 2016, the release said.

These partnerships are part of a global university collaboration programme of Tata companies for strategic outreach to academia across the world.

It is aimed at supporting faculty and students through funded research programmes, sabbaticals, fellowships, and engagements with university leadership as well as studying long-term research outcomes related to key market needs, the group said.

"It is the Tata group's vision to touch the lives of 25% of the world's population. To accomplish this vision, we are engaging with the best research institutions around the world to enable sustainable market development in the regions we work and live," Tata Sons Group chief technology officer Gopichand Katragadda said.

This collaborative platform will allow Tata companies to work closely with these leading universities, he added.

"And I have no doubt that the exciting research at these institutions will be strengthened by the market understanding of the Tata group to create outcomes that matter to the world," Katragadda said.

Tata employees nominated as fellows will have the opportunity to participate in the Harvard Business School's Executive Education courses while contributing to the funded research projects.

"This initiative will harness the power of research that crosses traditional academic boundaries, leading to more rapid discovery and the development of new products and services that address real-world problems," said Harvard Provost Alan M Garber.