About Research & Development Cell
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages the promotion of quality research within the Higher Education system. Research and innovation are important aspects to enhance quality education by the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Societal challenges of our country can only be addressed by having a strong and vibrant higher education ecosystem with an emphasis on research, innovation, and technology development. The integration of Research, Innovation and Technology Development is the foundation of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India). The establishment of Research and Development Cell (RDC) in Panjab University, Chandigarh is aimed at enabling the attainment of targets of Atma-Nirbhar Bharat and is expected to play a crucial role in catalyzing multidisciplinary/ transdisciplinary and translational research culture mandated in NEP 2020.
Vision
To put in place a robust mechanism for developing and strengthening the research ecosystem within the University in consonance with the provisions of NEP-2020.
Mission
- To create a congenial ecosystem environment for enhanced research productivity.
- To promote collaboration across industry, government, community- based organizations, and agencies at the local, national, and international levels.
- To facilitate greater access to research through optimum utilization and mobilization of existing resources and funding.
Objectives
- To build an organizational/ intra-institutional structure with role-based functions of RDC, formulate Research Policy for the University, identify thrust areas of research, and form related cluster groups/ frontline teams/consortia of researchers.
- To help the University create Research Policies for recruitment of research personnel, procurement of equipment, and financial management with sufficient autonomy to the Principal Investigator(s) and propagate research outcomes to stakeholders and the public at large.
- To put in place policies to promote researchers and innovators, identify potential collaborators from industry, research organizations, academic institutions & other stakeholders for cooperation and synergistic partnerships.
- To act as a mediator between researchers & relevant research funding agencies, provide guidance in preparation & submission of project proposals and post-sanctioning of the grants to supervise adherence to timelines.
- To create mechanism for coordination among other cells/centers dealing with University-Industry Inter Linkage, Incubation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
- To develop an Institutional Research Information System through IQAC for sharing the status of ongoing/ completed research projects/Programmes, expertise & resources, etc., making effective use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) for preparing the database of in-house experts to provide industrial consultancy and services.
- To engage & optimally utilize the services of superannuated active faculty/scientists in research capacity building of talented young minds and promote mobility of researchers across institutions and R&D Labs.
- To serve as nodal center for ideation and conceptualization of research topics/themes, across the disciplines, by organizing workshops and training programs and ensuring the integrity and ethical practices in research activities including clearance of ethical committee wherever and whenever needed.
Functions
The establishment of the RDC would facilitate the creation of a research ecosystem for impactful and sustained research output. The essential elements of such an ecosystem, viz., generation of knowledge and facilitation of research, innovation and technology development for industrial & societal benefits, are addressed by human resource (researcher & faculty), intellectual capital (knowledge & skills), governance (regulation & policies) and financial resources (funding & grants).