# Newcastle University Selects Anant Ambani for Professor of Practice Role in Sustainability

> Recognizing his leadership in green energy transitions, industrial decarbonization, and wildlife conservation, Newcastle University has appointed Anant Ambani as Professor of Practice.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Business · **Published:** 2026-09-30 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/business/sastenebiliti-ke-kshetra-men-anant-ambani-ko-newcastle-university-ne-di-prophesara-pha-praiktisa-ki-jimmedari-40527 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Anant Ambani, Newcastle University, Sustainability, Reliance Industries, Vantara, Green Energy, Professor of Practice, Jamnagar

In recognition of his operational leadership in clean energy transitions, wildlife rehabilitation, and large-scale industrial decarbonization, Newcastle University has appointed Anant Ambani as a Professor of Practice in sustainability. The Professor of Practice title represents a distinct academic track tailored for experienced corporate executives and operational leaders who bring direct industrial insight into the classroom. Unlike traditional tenure-track university faculty positions, this appointment does not require candidates to hold a doctorate, maintain peer-reviewed publication records, or undergo traditional research tenures. Instead, its primary focus is to enrich academic environments with real-world expertise in capital allocation, regulatory frameworks, environmental, social, and governance execution, and massive operational management.

## Global Precedent for Industry Leadership in Academia
Appointing prominent business leaders to academic roles is an established practice across leading global business and engineering institutions. Prestigious entities such as Oxford Said, Warwick, Cranfield, Harvard, MIT Sloan, and the National University of Singapore have regularly engaged corporate executives through Professor of Practice appointments to bridge academic theory with industry practice. Newcastle University similarly awards this distinction to recognize non-academic professionals possessing proven, large-scale technical and management mastery. A parallel framework was established in India during 2022 when the University Grants Commission introduced the Professor of Practice designation, permitting seasoned industry leaders to teach and mentor university students without requiring standard PhD qualifications or formal publication credentials.

## Guiding Reliance Towards Net Carbon Zero by 2035
Ambani's new university position directly intersects with his strategic duties steering renewable transitions across Reliance Industries. As an Executive Director at Reliance Industries, he is spearheading the conglomerate's overarching operational roadmap to transform the business into a net carbon zero enterprise by 2035. Central to this transformation is his direct oversight of the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex, a massive clean-tech production campus spanning 5000 acres in Jamnagar, Gujarat. This manufacturing hub houses five interconnected giga-factories designed to supply and scale the entire green energy value chain.

These dedicated facilities focus on integrated solar PV manufacturing, green hydrogen generation alongside electrolyzer production, advanced battery energy storage systems, and specialized fuel cell systems. The integrated solar ecosystem has established a firm target to achieve 100 GW of solar power deployment by 2030. Concurrently, the green hydrogen program is working toward meeting an aggressive cost benchmark of 1 dollar per kilogram, aiming to make zero-carbon fuel economically competitive on a global scale.

## Large-Scale Afforestation and the Vantara Conservation Reserve
Complementing these industrial renewable assets are extensive ecological initiatives centered around the Jamnagar industrial belt, where dedicated afforestation drives have completed the planting of more than 1 crore trees. Beyond emissions abatement, Ambani's conservation portfolio includes the establishment of Vantara, an expansive 3500-acre ecological sanctuary and dedicated wildlife rescue center situated in Jamnagar. The facility provides specialized healthcare programs and long-term rehabilitation infrastructure specifically tailored for distressed elephants.

In addition to elephant welfare, Vantara has successfully rehabilitated thousands of wild animals spanning diverse species, including lions, tigers, leopards, rhinos, and critically endangered reptiles. The facility features an expansive 650-bed multi-speciality wildlife hospital designed to deliver advanced veterinary care. This medical center is equipped with specialized veterinary MRI and CT scanning machines, digital X-ray suites, custom orthopedic prosthetics capabilities, and dedicated robotic surgical units designed to handle complex surgical interventions for large and exotic wildlife.

## What this means for you
Bridging corporate sustainability operations with academic curricula will provide engineering and business students with hands-on industrial perspectives.

- **Academic Evolution:** Higher education models will increasingly incorporate direct operational methodologies into mainstream sustainability courses. Students will gain first-hand access to large-scale decarbonization and ESG management practices rather than relying solely on textbook theories.
- **Clean Tech Careers:** The focus on multi-gigawatt solar infrastructure and hydrogen engineering signals stronger demand for practical clean-tech professionals. Learners preparing for the renewable sector can better align their technical skills with massive industrial gigafactory demands.
- **Corporate Decarbonization:** The academic focus on real industrial transitions highlights feasible pathways toward net zero targets. Global and Indian firms can observe how large conglomerates execute aggressive targets like 1 dollar per kilogram green hydrogen production.
- **Conservation Benchmarks:** Integrating wildlife welfare and biodiversity protection into corporate leadership elevates institutional conservation programs. Initiatives like Vantara provide an operating blueprint for combining intensive industrial projects with multi-species ecological rehabilitation.

## Why this happened
Newcastle University executed this appointment to bridge the gap between academic education and massive real-world sustainability execution. The institution prioritizes hands-on operational leadership over conventional academic publishing records.

- **Focus on Operational Expertise:** The Professor of Practice framework is specifically designed to integrate corporate operational leaders into academic faculties. This enables universities to educate students directly on practical challenges such as capital allocation, ESG compliance, and massive project coordination.
- **Energy Transition Leadership:** Ambani leads the operational roadmap to transition Reliance Industries into a net carbon zero company by 2035. His responsibilities encompass managing the 5000-acre Jamnagar green complex, five interconnected gigafactories, and a planned 100 GW solar deployment target.
- **Ecological and Animal Welfare Initiatives:** The selection recognizes practical biodiversity achievements, including the planting of more than 1 crore trees in Jamnagar. His development of the 3500-acre Vantara wildlife sanctuary and its 650-bed veterinary hospital established concrete credentials in global animal rehabilitation.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What position has Newcastle University appointed Anant Ambani to?
He has been appointed as a Professor of Practice in sustainability at Newcastle University.

### 2. What qualifications are required for a Professor of Practice role?
The role does not require a doctorate or published academic papers, focusing instead on real-world industrial expertise and operational leadership.

### 3. What is Reliance Industries' deadline for achieving net carbon zero?
Reliance Industries aims to achieve net carbon zero status by the year 2035.

### 4. How large is the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex in Jamnagar?
The clean energy complex in Jamnagar, Gujarat spans an area of 5000 acres.

### 5. What is Vantara and what is its total land area?
Vantara is an ecological sanctuary and rescue facility in Jamnagar covering 3500 acres.

### 6. How many beds are available at the Vantara wildlife hospital?
The multi-speciality wildlife hospital at Vantara is equipped with a 650-bed capacity.

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