Pune, 12th September 2024: In a significant step towards addressing pressing social issues through innovation, the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and Vishwakarma University (VU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday.
This partnership aims to scale up the development and transfer of technology for socio-economic benefits and commercialization, blending the strengths of both organizations.
The NRDC, an enterprise under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, is known for promoting, nurturing, and commercializing cutting-edge technologies from research institutes across India. Through this MoU, VU will collaborate closely with NRDC to bridge the gap between research and industry by bringing impactful innovations to the forefront.
The agreement was signed by NRDC Director Shekhar Mundada and VU President Bharat Agarwal. Both parties expressed their enthusiasm about the partnership, recognizing the immense potential it holds for fostering technology-driven solutions to social challenges.
“We are impressed with VU’s efforts in developing technology-based solutions to address societal challenges,” said NRDC Director Shekhar Mundada. “The university has developed over 300 technologies in various fields, and we look forward to promoting, scaling up, and transferring these innovations for broader applications. Additionally, we will collaborate with VU to support startups and their growth.”
VU President Bharat Agarwal highlighted the importance of the MoU in advancing the university’s mission. “Vishwakarma University is committed to tackling contemporary social challenges,” he said. “This partnership with NRDC is a crucial step in scaling up innovation at our university. It will help students protect their projects through Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and give them a platform to showcase their talents to the world.”
Manjit Lad, Assistant Manager and in-charge of the NRDC outreach center in Pune, emphasized the significance of the collaboration. “NRDC operates in various domains such as technology promotion, transfer, and IPR protection. With this MoU, Vishwakarma University is now part of India’s elite list of premium institutions,” she said.
VU’s Vice Chancellor, Siddhardh Jabade, added that the university has long adopted an inclusive and participatory approach to tackling socio-economic issues through technological innovation. “Our collaboration with NRDC will further strengthen this model and enhance our ability to drive meaningful change,” Jabade said.
With this MoU, Vishwakarma University and NRDC have set the stage for an exciting phase of innovation, where technology meets real-world challenges, benefitting both students and society at large. Along with B B Lohia and VU Vice President Wasudeo Gade other dignitaries were present of the occasion.