PAU NOTES: Varsities investigate potential joint ventures
To explore joint teaching, research, and extension programs, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, convened a conference. Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, vice-chancellor of PAU, chaired the meeting, which was held on the campus of the university and attended by dignitaries from both schools.
Dr. Gosal began by outlining PAU’s history of agricultural innovation. Key topics for collaborative study were delineated by him, including nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, biofortification of crops, bioenzymes, tissue culture, and medicinal plants.
Dr. Gosal also spoke on the importance of the Punjab Agri-Business Incubator and the Skill Development Center, both of which are housed at PAU, in promoting entrepreneurial endeavors and aiding in the expansion of prosperous agricultural start-ups.
The PAU registrar, Dr. Rishi Pal Singh, put out a number of relationship possibilities, such as faculty exchanges, collaborative seminars, and academic exchanges. He restated that PAU’s strategy framework emphasizes fostering a unique research culture, motivating learning, and tying communities together. PAU welcomes collaborations with other organizations that uphold these ideals.
Dr. Parveen Bansal, Director of Research at BFUHS, discussed the university’s rising stature in medical education. He highlighted the value of interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research and innovation and outlined the university’s strategy for encouraging an inquiry-based culture and evidence-based practices. He included nursing, physical therapy, geriatric care, clinical trials, and scientific validation as potential areas of collaboration. He mentioned the potential of aromatic and spice plants as adjuvants in medicinal applications. Additionally, he recommended creating course equivalency in disciplines like biochemistry and microbiology to capitalize on the complementary capabilities of both institutions.
