TEQIP Phase-II Award for Murthal University

by Haryananewswire (Balbir Singh)

Chandigarh, June 29- 

Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal has been awarded the  Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme Phase – II (TEQIP Phase-II) of the World Bank Project. It lays emphasis on research and creating Centres of Excellences through exchange of students, faculty, research scholars through international linkages.

While stating this today, a spokesman of University said that under the aegis of this, a delegation led by Mr. H. S. Chahal, Vice-Chancellor with Prof. Raj Kumar, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Technology and Nodal Officer, TEQIP,  Prof. J. S. Rana, Dean, Faculty of Non-Conventional Sources of Energy and Environment and Coordinator, International Affairs and Dr. Pawan Dahiya, Coordinator, TEQIP visited some European countries this month to explore, collaborate and implement, exchange of students, faculty and to strengthen ties for mutual research and development  activities for upgradation of laboratories in the University. The delegation visited Germany, Finland, Italy and U.A.E. from June 11 to 20, 2012.

                        He said that a joint conference on “Energy Efficient Design of Buildings: Product Solutions" (CREED-PS) was earlier organized at DCRUST, Murthal. This Project was approved by Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany under the Germany-India: Infinite opportunities Project during February 2011. Taking it further, an Memorandum of Collaboration was signed with Hoshschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe (University of Applied Science), Detmold, Germany during this visit on June 12, 2012. A visit to their state of art wooden workshop and open sky laboratories in lighting which could not be found anywhere in the world was also conducted. The University delegation visited their Center of Excellence in Industrial Automation at Lemgo Campus and discussed exchange of students and faculty members.  The housing of industries of repute in the same building side by side the departments was an excellent example of collaboration with industry. Also, department of Architecture and Civil Engineering were seen and fruitful discussions with the faculty members in mutual areas of interest on research and teaching were held. Exchange visit of students and faculty has also been put in place under this Memorandum of Collaboration, he added.

                        He said that the University had earlier signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tampere University of Technology, Tampere (Finland) last year. This visit was to strengthen the bondages for future collaborations and held further discussions with Ms. Minna Hakka Riska, Head, international office, Prof. Matti Karp and Prof. Jaakko  A. Puhakka, Head Department of Chemistry and Prof. Jukka Rintala, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences to work out the modalities. The highlight of these MoU’s shall be that our students visiting these Universities shall not pay any tuition fee to them.

                        He said that while in Finland, the delegation also held wide ranging talks with Prof. Jorma Virtanen, Department of Nano-science, University of Jyvaskyla an internationally renowned university and expert on education that focuses on human and natural sciences regarding future scope of collaboration in the areas of Bio-technology and Nano-science.

                        He said that the delegation visited University of Helsinki (Finland). University of Helsinki, Finland was founded in 1640 and is one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in the world. The university, with almost 4,000 researchers and teachers, operates on four campuses in Helsinki. The delegation had discussions with Prof. Annele Hatakka, Department of Food and Environmental  Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry for collaboration for research and development and also visited laboratories of Department of Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Molecular Biology and Environmental Science to explore future opportunities of collaboration.  The high-quality research carried out by the university creates new knowledge for educating diverse specialists in various fields, and for utilization in social decision-making and the business sector.

                        He said that while in Germany, the delegation also visited Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at FRIE university of Berlin and discussed various facilities available with them for exchange of students and faculty members between two universities. The delegation saw library and infrastructure for housing and other facilities for students and faculty.

                        He said that while in Italy, the delegation visited Bruno Kessler Foundation located in Trento, a province in Northern Italy governed under a special autonomy statute. The foundation, with more than 350 researchers, conducts studies in the areas of Information Technology, Materials and Microsystems, Italian-German Historical Institute, and Religious sciences. Interactions in the Bio-Micro-Electro-Mechanical- System(BIOMEMS) unit of the center for material and micro systems  via Sommarive18, 38123, Trento- Italy and discussions with Prof. (Dr.) Leandro Lorenzelli, Head of the Unit for possibilities regarding sending our students and faculty members for advanced research were very encouraging.

                                The delegation also visited Sapienza University of Rome, an autonomous State University in Rome, Italy. It is the largest Italian university by enrollment and the oldest of Rome's three state-funded universities. Also visited University of ROME, and saw their departments & facilities.  At Dubai (U.A.E.) also visited Birla institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (Dubai campus) which is located at International Academic City and offers excellent infra-structure and state-of-the art facilities to its students.

                        With this visit, the University opens its swing doors on inside and outside for exchange of students, faculty and joint research with reputed international Universities, Laboratories which would go a long way for raising the academic activities in the University.