Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh, on Tuesday strengthened its global academic footprint by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Haydn Green Foundation, the UK, to establish and operationalise the School of Entrepreneurial Mindset (SEM) and to scale high-quality learning in innovation and entrepreneurship through a technology-enabled model, according to a PU spokesperson.
The SEM will function as a dedicated academic platform to nurture start-up ideas and socially relevant ventures. With this partnership, PU students would gain access to structured training in entrepreneurial thinking, innovation practices, and real-world problem-solving, the spokesperson said.
The agreement to introduce digital courses in innovation and entrepreneurship for students was signed at the Centre for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the presence of PU Vice-Chancellor Prof Renu Vig and Hardev Singh, Chair and Founder Trustee of the Haydn Green Foundation.
The MoU outlines joint promotion and learner outreach for SEM courses. It further provides for the organisation of related competitions and student activities, including linkages with HGF’s flagship initiative.
On this occasion, Vig also launched three credit-based digital courses — Innovative and Creative Thinking, Entrepreneurship, and Entrepreneurship for Women.
Each course will carry three credits and run for eight weeks, with 45 hours of guided learning. The courses will be delivered through a dedicated PU-HGF Learning Experience Platform, offering live cohort sessions, interactive learning support, structured assessments, and verifiable digital credentials, the spokesperson said, adding that the model has been designed to provide flexible, yet rigorous learning suited to present-day career pathways.
Vig said, “PU already has an ecosystem for pre-incubation, incubation and post-incubation support. However, a structured mechanism for delivering courses in innovation, creative thinking, and entrepreneurship was lacking. She said this gap has now been addressed through the CSDE. The SEM will promote start-up culture both on the campus and across affiliated colleges. It is expected that the CDOE will further adopt technology and expand delivery in digital mode. A dedicated lab for recording lectures has already been set up at CDOE.”
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Hardev Singh said the partnership signals the beginning of a new phase centred on creativity, innovation and purpose.
Special lecture on innovative biofilm-resistant dental implants
The Department of Biochemistry, PU, Chandigarh, hosted a special lecture by Dr Ankit Tandon, an alumnus of the department, who is currently conducting pioneering research at Indiana University, the US.
As part of ‘Targeting Biofilm-Mediated Peri-Implantitis Using Copper-Enriched Implant Alloys,’ Dr Tandon spoke about the growing challenge of peri-implantitis, a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and bone loss around dental implants. “As the prevalence of peri-implantitis has increased to approximately 22 per cent of implants, finding sustainable and long-term solutions has become critical for clinical success.”
Dr Tandon highlighted his team’s work on developing and testing Ti-Cu alloys (titanium-copper alloys). These materials are designed to reduce bacterial adhesion, specifically targeting biofilm formation, which is a common cause of implant failure.
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“It is a pleasure to return to my alma mater to share our recent advances,” said Dr Tandon. “Our goal is to translate these findings into better clinical outcomes for patients suffering from persistent infections, bridging the gap between molecular biochemistry and clinical dental practice.”
