A recent roundtable session in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, aimed to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements, particularly in the financial services and technology sectors. This event, part of the Industry–Academia Roundtable series launched by the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), gathered academic leaders from institutions like Ahmedabad University and international universities such as Queen’s University Belfast and Deakin University. Industry representatives from companies like IBM, TCS, and KPMG participated to discuss aligning academic outcomes with the evolving needs of India’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). Shefali Gaur, a leader at IBM, emphasized that the future workforce will require not only degrees but also adaptability and problem-solving skills. Discussions focused on integrating academic programs with industry exposure, highlighting the importance of structured internships, live projects, and research collaboration to enhance employability. Nimay Kalyani from the University of Wollongong noted that evolving the industry-academia relationship from alignment to integration is crucial for preparing job-ready graduates.