LUCKNOW: The Lucknow University has formulated plans to prioritize and promote various activities aimed at enhancing innovation, skill development, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for its students. These plans encompassed short-term, mid-term and long-term goals, an official said.
In the short-term (0-4 years), the university intends to focus on skill development. This involves utilizing existing research infrastructure to train students in areas such as instrumentation, equipment handling and designing, as per vice chancellor Prof Alok Kumar Rai.
Additionally, the university plans to conduct training programmes twice a year under the Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme. Furthermore, the establishment of a vocational training centre is envisaged, covering specialized fields such as nano technology and nano material for drug delivery, natural product research, food testing laboratory with NABCL certification and fashion designing.
Prof. Alok Kumar Rai, LU vice chancellor, said that the end goal was to ensure that students were able to translate their academic knowledge into monetizable skills and serve society as skilled personnel and job creators. Highly skilled human resource development was the end goal of university education and LU was determined to measure up to this commitment.
Moving to the mid-term goals (4-7 years), the university aims to establish a centre for skill development. This centre would offer need-based courses supported by industry and government, as well as open training programmes. It would also support the development of other emerging skill development centres.
{{/usCountry}}Moving to the mid-term goals (4-7 years), the university aims to establish a centre for skill development. This centre would offer need-based courses supported by industry and government, as well as open training programmes. It would also support the development of other emerging skill development centres.
{{/usCountry}}In the long-term (7-10 years), the university plans to link the skill development programmes with career opportunities through a centralized placement cell. Graduates will be attracted to industries and academic institutions engaged in various projects. By acquiring skills and knowledge, students will be empowered to consider starting their own ventures, thus becoming not only job seekers but also job providers.
Additional long-term goals include skill development initiatives for local communities, such as nurturing rural technology, supporting rural innovations, scientifically standardizing traditional knowledge and facilitating cost-effective techniques and technology transfer. The university also intends to develop a mobile skill development lab to extend its reach beyond the university boundaries and bring skills to the masses.
Prof Poonam Tandon, dean, academics said that through these comprehensive plans, the university envisioned equipping its students with the necessary skills, knowledge and opportunities to thrive in various fields, foster entrepreneurship and contribute to both job creation and societal development.