VC visits departments at Panjab University

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 16

Panjab University Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Raj Kumar, visited the University Institute of Fashion Technology (UIFT); Department of Microbiology; Department of Art History and Visual Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts and Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (UICET) during the last two days.

Prof Shankarji Jha, Dean, University Instructions, Prof Ramanjit Johal, Prof Rajat Sandhir and Prof Sanjeev Puri accompanied him.

All departments gave presentations about the courses offered, thrust areas, research outcomes, and placements during the VC’s visit.

The VC emphasised on the need to start innovative teaching programmes, industry collaboration and alumni involvement in the teaching and research programmes of each department.

Dr Prabhdip Brar, chairperson, UIFT, shared, “A project amounting to Rs 30 crore is proposed for the Museum of Textile, Craft, Design, Research and Resource, an incubation hub.”

Prof SK Soni, Chairperson, Department of Microbiology, PU shared, “Various research areas of societal needs being pursued with relevance to health, industry and environment, technologies developed and transferred to industry.”

“Microbiology has a lot of potential of applied research and thus can contribute significantly to the nation building by solving various national problems,” the VC stressed.

He asked them to plan innovative projects in the areas of current national interest, especially, in waste management, production of biofuels, use of tertiary treated water and development of alternative therapies to combat multi-drug antibiotic resistance so that the same could be submitted to the ministries concerned for major funding. He also motivated the faculty to file more patents and initiate start-ups in their respective areas.

Prof Soni said, “The department intends to start an innovative master degree in food safety and quality assurance in the coming session.”

The VC suggested to the faculty of Art History and Visual Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts to start self-financing, short-term courses and to have tie-ups with corporate.

The VC visited the museum building and appreciated the art collection. He motivated the faculty and staff to organise events involving the public at large to highlight the art collection in the museum.

Prof Sanchita Chauhan, chairperson, UICET, presented the thrust research areas of the institute and the performance in the last 10 years. “The faculty members are actively involved in multifarious fields like materials and nanotechnology, environmental engineering, bio waste to energy, advanced functional materials, foods and biochemicals,” she said.