The Society for Promotion of Science and Technology in India SPSTI) organized a lecture on ‘Industry-Academia R&D in India … a way forward’ as a part of its Monthly Lecture Series. The speaker was Professor Rupinder Tiwari, Co-ordinator, DST-Centre for Policy Research, Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Prof Tewari highlighted that in present situation, there is growing application of science and technology in developing new technologies to provide cost effective solutions to diverse problems around the world. In developed countries, there is strong collaboration between industry and universities in developing new technologies and improving the existing through R & D funded by the industry. However, in India, there is not a strong linkage between academia and industry. Prof. Tewari also highlighted the issues and suggested that Central and State governments should work with industry to develop technologies and processes to manufacture goods and services to handle such requirements.
Prof. Tewari said that there are more than 950 national research laboratories and institutes and a few thousands colleges of technologies, who can play critical role in this regard.
Highlighting the genesis and activities of the society Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster (CRIKC), ‘Industry-Academia’ activities and ‘International Outreach Programme’ of CRIKC, all of which started resulting collaboration between the institutes and the industry to develop commercially viable technologies and processes for multi-dimensional problems in different areas of human activities. He suggested that every department of the government should have budget allocation for innovation and developing solutions.
The lecture was followed by intense discussion. The participants appreciated the role of alumni in several institutes, most notably, IITs, ICT Mumbai and IISc Bangalore, in motivating the industry for carrying out research and development work.