ONGOING INITIATIVE

 Aspiration Bengal Foundation (ABF), in collaboration with West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC), on 16 March 2022 organized a high-level Round Table meet on the issue of strengthening University-Industry linkage at WBIDC office.   

There have been several initiatives taken up globally to forge a stronger University-Industry linkage. However, there still exists a wide gap between the R&D works at the universities and needs of the local industries. This gap needs to be bridged to foster an innovation-led ecosystem that leads to overall promotion of industries in the state and meets their technology requirements.  

The Round Table meet was the first step to conceptualize and bring together some of the best minds in the State to deliberate on this subject which would be followed up with further Industry-Academia interactions on this important issue of bringing in a synergistic relationship between the academia and the industry. The outcomes of such wider stakeholder consultations can then lead to structuring medium to long term policy recommendations and interventions.     

The following speakers participated in the deliberations:    

• Shri Rajiva Sinha, Chairman, WBIDC  
• Dr. Suranjan Das, Vice Chancellor, Jadavpur University 
• Dr. K Pathak, Dean (Infrastructure), Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur  
• Dr. Vidyanand Jha, Indian Institute of Management Calcutta  
• Dr. Subhasis Bhaumik, Dean (P&D), Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology  
• Dr. Saikat Maitra, Vice Chancellor, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology  
• Dr. B S Mahapatra, Vice Chancellor, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidalaya, Mohanpur  
• Dr. Swarup Chakrabarti, Vice Chancellor, Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidalaya, Coochbehar  
• Dr. Debashis Banerjee, Senior Principal Scientist, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Central Glass and Ceramics Research Institute, Kolkata  
• Dr. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti, Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.   
• Dr. Partha Sarathi Banerjee, Trustee,  Aspiration Bengal Foundation

Areas identified for capacity building, research and development activity and innovation:    

• Agri Business – Agriculture, Agri marketing, Food processing, Horticulture, ARD and Fisheries.  
• Infrastructure – Manufacturing, Transport, Logistics, Power, Urban Development MSMEs and Textiles.
• Services - IT & ITeS, Tourism, Health, Education and Skill Development.      

1. As a first step, ABF would map the existing set-up in universities and institutions in the State that are engaged in industry-related R&D. This would include mapping of Innovation Centres in these institutions. 
2. This would be followed by mapping of the industry-related technologies that these institutions are working upon.    
3. These mapping exercises, supported by WBIDC would provide a strong database to work upon further and would act as a ready-reckoner for the industry.     
4. WBIDC would prepare an inventory of the areas technological requirements of the industry which could then be shared with the concerned institutions to develop and offer solutions.   
5. The earlier initiative by IIT Kharagpur of “100 patents in 100 days” would be adapted to suit the context of state universities and colleges of engineering. This could be a benchmark for furtherance on Universities-Industry Linkage. 

WBIDC is the premier nodal agency of West Bengal's Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Department. WBIDC is responsible for conceptualization, development, growth and facilitation of industry, investment and infrastructure in West Bengal. Over the years the corporation is actively engaged in catalyzing investment through promotion and marketing of West Bengal as an investment destination. See, https://www.wbidc.com/