British Council has evinced interest in strengthening the linkages between Panjab
University (PU) and Institutions of Higher Education and Research in United Kingdom (UK).
    Director, British Council India, Mr. Rob Lynes today called on the PU Vice Chancellor,
Prof Arun K. Grover at PU campus and discussed various issues of common interest like
collaborating in research and fields of education. British Council Assistant Director,
International Higher Education (India) Mrs. Manjula Rao, Dean University Instructions
PU, Mrs Madhu Raka, PU Prof. Rupinder Tewari and Prof Manmohan Gupta were also present
on the occasion.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Lynes said that he was delighted to visit PU. He said
that he looked forward for strengthening of education linkage between leading institutes
of Chandigarh and UK.
Mr. Lynes described the PU proposal of Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge
Cluster (CRIKC) as being exciting and unique. He said that institutes of UK and
Chandigarh should collaborate further. Institutes can no longer work in isolation and we
should share our knowledge and research through exchange programmes, he added.
Mr. Lynes also praised the City Beautiful, Chandigarh for its serenity, roads and
architecture. He said that it was a different feel to be in Chandigarh and PU. It
appears like any European city, he further added.
    Earlier in the meeting, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Grover informed him that about 15
leading institutes of Chandigarh area like PU, PGI, PEC etc. have agreed to setup
knowledge cluster/hub as CRIKC. Chandigarh MP Mr. Pawan Bansal has agreed to release
funds to the tune of Rs. 1 Crore out of MPLAD scheme to realize few steps towards its
creation and the first instalment of Rs. 37 Lakhs has already been received by PU.
CRIKC’s endeavour is to foster and sustain close academic alliances between institutions
of higher education and research in the Chandigarh region, to facilitate innovation and
knowledge creation and for achieving excellence in all academic spheres without
compromising in any manner the autonomy of the participating institutions.
Prof. Grover said that PU is one of the oldest University in the country and it has
great legacy. The University has number of prestigious departments and 190 affiliated
colleges. The University has been developed on two sectors in Chandigarh city over an
area of about 570 acres. The University has 17 hostels out of which 8 are for boys and 9
are for girls. About 1000 faculty members are teaching about 15000 students in the
campus. The University is proud to have two Presidents and two Prime Ministers of the
country as its alumni, he added.
Press Release No.278