Industry-Academia Interaction Programme held at Central University of Punjab

Industrial units and Educational Institutions need to work together to make AtmaNirbhar Bathinda, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari

Bathinda, November 24, 2021: To bridge the gap between industry and academia, and to actualize the vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat as envisioned by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB), organized an Industry-Academia interaction programme during which leading industrialists of Bathinda participated. In this interaction session, CUPB Scientists and Industrialists discussed the opportunities to collaborate for finding innovative solutions to various problems faced by industry and work together to develop skilled manpower who will contribute towards nation-building.
At the start, Prof. Anjana Munshi, Dean Research, welcomed the guests from leading industrial enterprises. She shared that the Central University of Punjab has emerged as the leading Higher Educational Institution of the region and within a short span the university made a mark among the top 100 universities list in NIRF Rankings. She briefed about the quality research work conducted by faculty and scholars, and shed light on world-class research facilities available at the university in the form of Central Instrumentation Laboratory, Departmental Laboratories etc. After this, Dr. Vinod Pathania, programme coordinator, introduced the Deans/HoDs of the Science Departments running at the university and shared their expertise. He invited industrialists to share their challenges and expectations.
During the programme, the industry representatives from different fields, such as pharma products, transformer manufacturing, edible oil manufacturing, casting & fabrication units, etc., shared their issues and challenges. The industrial delegates expressed happiness with the research-centric approach of the university and expressed their willingness to collaborate with the university in the areas of product testing, refinement of manufacturing processes, and project-based research. They emphasised the importance of providing students with hands-on training and informing them about available job opportunities in their field.
In his presidential address, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, the Vice Chancellor, expressed his gratitude towards industrial delegates and put forward his vision of making AtmaNirbhar Bathinda. He stated that this programme is one of the initial steps to actualizing this mission to understand the requirements of local industry and work together to find innovative solutions. He asserted that the university is committed to implementing NEP2020 transformative educational reforms in the form of creating an ecosystem for experiential learning and strengthening industrial-academic collaborations. He encouraged industrial representatives and university scientists to work together to strengthen Industry-Academia partnerships to increase consultancy, project-based research, skill development and entrepreneurship opportunities.
While interacting with delegates, Vice Chancellor Prof. Tiwari shared that the university is putting its best efforts into setting up a world-class research park at the university campus, which will facilitate local industrial units. He expressed hope that their support would help to accomplish this task in a limited time.
Towards the end, Shri KPS Mundra, the Registrar, gave a vote of thanks. The industry representatives who were present on this occasion were Mr. Mukesh Jindal (President, Bathinda Small Industries Association) from PP Industries, Mr. Virendra Garg (President, Bathinda Industrial Owners Association) from Kosva Industries, Mr. Vikram Garg from Vikas Industries, Mr. Krishan Bansal from KK Impex, Mr. SK Garg from Unitech Pharma, Mr. Manjeet from Monats Biotech, Mr. Satish Bansal from PP Industries, and Mr. Rahul Bansal from MS Glister Inc.