Central University of Punjab signs MoU with Innovation–Technology Transfer Office 

Bathinda : The Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (CUPB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Innovation–Technology Transfer Office (i-TTO) to promote collaboration in areas of IP Management, technology transfer and competency development. i-TTO is a regional technology transfer office set up at Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), the IP and Technology Transfer arm of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, with support from National BioPharma Mission, BIRAC (a Govt of India and World Bank Project) to assist the academic institutions.The objective of this MoU execution is to promote cooperation between the two organizations and to engage i-TTO to assist CUPB with IP management, transfer of technologies developed by its faculty and students and business facilitation.In view of COVID-19 pandemic, the signing ceremony of this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was organized on Wednesday through a virtual platformwhere Shri Kanwal Pal Singh Mundra, Registrar, CUPB and Ms. Pooja Bhatia (Chief Manager, i-TTO, New Delhi) inked the pact in the esteemed presence of Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, the Vice Chancellor of Central University of Punjab and Dr. Anil Wali, Managing Director, FITT. Member of CUPB IPR Cell and i-TTO team members also attended this programme. While sharing the details of MoU, Ms. Pooja Bhatia (Chief Manager, i-TTO) mentioned that under this association i-TTO will assist CUPB to excel in the field of IP management, technology transfer and capacity building. The services that will be provided by i-TTO to CUPB will comprise assessment of research outcome, IP filling, drafting IP & tech-transfer policy, technology assessment & promotion, negotiation and signing of deals with corporates and capacity building.

On this occasion Dr. Anil Wali, Managing Director, FITT, mentioned that CUPB is a research centric university and it has the potential to set higher standards in the area of IP management and technology transfer. He stated that, under this MoU, i-TTO will act as a facilitator and provide the necessary support to ease the process of patent application filling and tech transfer In his address, Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, Vice Chancellor, CUPB, mentioned that CUPB has set high benchmarks in the field of research and innovation with high research publications in international journals and research projects. As a research-centric university, we need to improve our performance in number of patents applications filled which are currently low in number due to absence of patent support system. Prof. Tiwari stated that the purpose of this MoU is to encourage our researchers and faculty to build competencies in the areas of IP Registration and Tech Transfer by taking assistance of a professional organization having expertise in this aspect. He expressed his hope that this partnership will certainly prove to be helpful in generating a higher number of patent registrations in future and build a system to generate additional income for the university in the form of patent royalty and technology transfer fees.At the start of the programme, Prof. Anjana Munshi, Dean Research, welcomed the participants. Dr. Preeti Khetarpal, Coordinator, IPR/Technology Transfer Cell at CUPB coordinated the programme and shared the details of the MoU document. Prof. R.K. Wusirika gave the concluding remarks. Prof. Monisha Dhiman, President Institution Innovation Council at CUPB extended formal vote of thanks. This MoU signing ceremony was virtually attended by Ms. Reema Sahni Mediratta (Project Manager – IP & Tech Transfer, i-TTO), Ms. Pragti Aggarwal (Senior Project Officer, IP, i-TTO) and Prof. Raj Kumar, (Members of CUPB IPR Cell).