British Council wants to strengthen Linkages with Punjab University

British Council has evinced interest in strengthening the linkages between Panjab University (PU) and Institutions of Higher Education and Research in United Kingdom (UK).

Director, British Council India, Mr. Rob Lynes today called on the PU Vice Chancellor, Prof Arun K. Grover at PU campus and discussed various issues of common interest like collaborating in research and fields of education. British Council Assistant Director, International Higher Education (India) Mrs. Manjula Rao, Dean University Instructions PU, Mrs Madhu Raka, PU Prof. Rupinder Tewari and Prof Manmohan Gupta were also present on the occasion.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Lynes said that he was delighted to visit PU. He said that he looked forward for strengthening of education linkage between leading institutes of Chandigarh and UK.

Mr. Lynes described the PU proposal of Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC) as being exciting and unique. He said that institutes of UK and Chandigarh should collaborate further. Institutes can no longer work in isolation and we should share our knowledge and research through exchange programmes, he added. Mr. Lynes also praised the City Beautiful, Chandigarh for its serenity, roads and architecture. He said that it was a different feel to be in Chandigarh and PU. It appears like any European city, he further added.

Earlier in the meeting, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Grover informed him that about 15 leading institutes of Chandigarh area like PU, PGI, PEC etc. have agreed to setup knowledge cluster/hub as CRIKC. Chandigarh MP Mr. Pawan Bansal has agreed to release funds to the tune of Rs. 1 Crore out of MPLAD scheme to realize few steps towards its creation and the first instalment of Rs. 37 Lakhs has already been received by PU.

CRIKC's endeavour is to foster and sustain close academic alliances between institutions of higher education and research in the Chandigarh region, to facilitate innovation and knowledge creation and for achieving excellence in all academic spheres without compromising in any manner the autonomy of the participating institutions.

Prof. Grover said that PU is one of the oldest University in the country and it has great legacy. The University has number of prestigious departments and 190 affiliated colleges. The University has been developed on two sectors in Chandigarh city over an area of about 570 acres. The University has 17 hostels out of which 8 are for boys and 9 are for girls. About 1000 faculty members are teaching about 15000 students in the campus. The University is proud to have two Presidents and two Prime Ministers of the country as its alumni, he added.

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