Chandigarh: Punjab government, Shoolini University tie-up for global campus

Chandigarh: The Government of Punjab and research-based Shoolini University on Monday agreed on the establishment of an international standard research university in the State of Punjab. Documents pertaining to the expression of interest were exchanged during the Progressive Punjab Investors' summit in the campus of Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali between Punjab Secretary Employment generation Rahul Tiwari and Shoolini University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla.

Punjab had invited Shoolini University to set up a campus in the State keeping in view the highly successful research based focus of the University which has been an innovative path breaker in its field. Shoolini University would make an investment of Rs 750 crore over a period of ten years and would provide direct and indirect employment to about 1500 persons, as per the understanding. It would provide an opportunity and platform for Punjabi NRI scientists to come back and contribute to their state.

Among other prominent academicians on the Board of their proposed university would be former Delhi University VC Dr Dinesh Singh and former Director General of Indian Council for Agricultural Research Dr Raj Paroda besides eminent educationist and Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof P K Khosla. Prof Khosla said the proposed campus would provide world class education to over 5000 students with proven career and opportunities.

Besides, the proposed campus would provide for an incubation ecosystem for food processing, biotechnology and other related startups. It shall also lead research and innovation in key areas of concern for Punjab including water, food and cancer. The ten-year old University has also been recognised as one of the foremost patent filing educational institutions on India.

The special areas of focus for Shoolini include Bio Sciences, food technology, Pharma sciences and cutting-edge technology which are its priorities for research and education. The Vice Chancellor said that Solan-based Shoolini University would like to replicate the Shoolini model in the neighbouring state of Punjab and added that it aims to make a sizeable impact on the students from smaller towns and villages of Punjab through world class education, he added.

"The proposed university will be truly world-class and will have alliances with top global universities and institutions," he added. About Shoolini University: Shoolini University, which is a not-for-profit institution funded by trustees of Foundation for Life Sciences and Business Management, has a student strength of 3,850 students and is multidisciplinary with six faculties running over 70 programmes. The University, run by academics, is fully complaint and accredited.