Entrepreneuring University-Industry Enterprise

The Department of Journalism And Mass Communication, University of Calcutta (CU), in collaboration with the Public Relations Council of India (PRCI) conducted an interactive session on 'University And Industry' for "reorganising corporate communication and rejuvenation of industrial image". The programme was held on Friday, June 24 2005, at Darbhanga Hall, University of Calcutta, Asutosh Siksha Prangan, College Street, and organised as a part of the University's hundred and fifty years celebrations.

In his introduction to, and thematic analysis of, the PRCI, Bibhatsu Kumar Sahu, Zonal Chairman(East) of the Council, emphasised the need for good publicity for the sustained popularity of a university. He stressed on the judicial selection of public opinion while framing public policies in general.

Chief Guest, Dr. A.K. Chanda, IAS and Chairman, Kolkata Port Trust, dwelling on the pride associated with history, was apt to point at history not being the be-all and end-all of affairs and that, praise of history should not make people oblivious of challenges. He was of course, drawing a parallel between the Kolkata port being the first of its kind in India, and the University of Calcutta being one of the first universities of modern India.

CU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Suranjan Das was at his usual eloquent best as he, in his keynote address, sought to guard against the unregulated university-industry partnership in the form of privatization of education.

Presiding over the programme was Prof. Asis Kumar Banerjee, Vice Chancellor, University of Calcutta. He sought co-operation and support from industrialists and media houses and expressed his intentions to interact with academicians, students, professionals and industrialists, so that, as he said, "in this new era of information society, our University can build up the image of the premier university throughout the world with the help of education-loving citizens of the country".

He promised the gathering consisting of industrialists, media persons, teachers and students, "Our University will organise many programmes and many national and international collaborations for the development of the University as well as for the development of the Indian education system for celebrating our hundred and fifty years".