Advisory boards to come up in all PU depts

Ishrat S Banwait

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 22

From the coming session, each department of Panjab University will involve its alumni with other experts to improve their department. A ‘department advisory board’ will be set up to hold regular meetings and suggest changes in syllabus, teaching methods and research. Apart from teachers, it will include alumni, experts from the industry and experts from research and development industry related to the department.

An initiative of the newly-appointed Dean, University Instructions, Meenakshi Malhotra, the proposal has been approved by the Vice-Chancellor. A letter will soon be sent to each department informing them about the same. Each department will have to nominate members and inform the DUI by June 30, as per sources.

When contacted, the DUI confirmed the development and said, “The aim is to improve the quality of education and research and make students more employable.” The board will be headed by the chairperson of the department, and it will be his responsibility to call regular meetings of the board and ensure that approved suggestions are implemented.

As per information, the departments will be given flexibility for choosing the number of members as well as the frequency of meetings. Required changes will be made with time and depending upon the success of the initiative.

The PU has been trying to engage its alumni for a while now and the VC has long-term aims to generate funds for the fund-crunched institution via donations from its alumni. If successful, this initiative could pave a path for the same. In a recent event, the VC had asked Member of Parliament and alumna Kirron Kher to help the ailing university and urge the Centre to do the same.

He also said like some other universities, the alumni need to come forward and donate to help the university. He had said the target was to collect Rs 500 crore in such a way in 10 years. However, the VC had not specified as to what approach was being adopted for the same.