UGC committee calls for strengthening partnership between varsities and industries

A University Grants Commission (UGC)-appointed committee has suggested strengthening of partnership and collaboration between universities and industries for mutual benefit.

The areas of collaboration identified by the committee inter alia included co-sponsorship of Ph.D students by industry.

"Universities are autonomous in matters of sponsorship of academic programmes by reputed private companies, subject to observance of minimum standards and other norms for such programmes as laid down by the UGC," said Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.