BITS Pilani and Pharma Major Lupin Mumbai sign MoU for Collaboration

Nov. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- Lupin Limited, India’s leading Pharmaceutical Company headquartered in Mumbai, has successfully positioned itself as a Transnational Pharmaceutical Company with a global footprint. The company develops and markets a wide range of high quality, affordable generic and branded formulations and APIs in multiple markets across the world. Lupin is the world’s largest manufacturer of Tuberculosis drugs. It has a significant presence in Cephalosporins, Cardiovasculars, Diabetology, Asthma and other therapy segments. Lupin has its products available in over 70 countries.

The Scientific Manpower Committee (1947), Engineering Personnel Committe(1956), AICTE (1958, 1966, 1969, 1971), Thacker Committee (1961), Kothari Education Commission (1966), National Policy on Education (1968), Ministry of Education, Government of India (1978), Draft National Policy on Education (1979), AIEI (1980), Nayudamma Review Committee (1980), Challenge of Education – a policy perspective, Ministry of Education, GOI (1985), IIT Review Report (1986), ...... many more committees, commissions, seminars, symposiums……have repeatedly advocated and emphasized on the need for strong university industry linkages in India.

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science - BITS Pilani since 1973 has made a pioneering contribution for the development of institutionalized linkages between university and industry by launching Practice School which takes all its students to the industry for seven and half months as an integral component of the academic curriculum like the medical internship. Since 1979, BITS Pilani has been participating in the HRD activities of the industries through several degree programmes by integrating the working environment of the employees with the learning environment required by the Institute.

The Pharmacy Group of BITS, Pilani established in 1950 which has blossomed today into one of the most sought after Schools of Pharmacy is one of the few early schools of Pharmacy in India nurtured under the able leadership of (Late) Prof. M. L. Schroff, Father of Pharmacy Education in India.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between BITS and Lupin has been signed with the objective of fostering collaboration between the two institutions to promote academic and research interactions.

BITS would operate an off-campus centre at Lupin, Mumbai to start with, and run educational programmes to meet the human resources development needs of Lupin, leading to specific degrees of BITS through its Work-Integrated Learning Programmes. These programmes will have the same rigour and standards as those programmes offered on-campus, and will be equivalent to the corresponding degrees offered on-campus.

The educational programmes conducted under this collaborative arrangement will offer the employees of Lupin an opportunity to enhance their academic qualification, synergize theory with practice on a sustained basis, be multi-skilled with exposure to upcoming technological areas, appreciate key management concepts,  participate better in organizational initiatives and provide meaningful insights

Lupin would make available the necessary infrastructural facilities and logistical support required (such as office facilities for BITS faculty, classrooms with necessary equipment, library facilities, facilities for conducting examinations, computer and communication facilities with access to electronic mail and Internet) for the smooth and effective conduct of the educational programmes. Lupin would also endeavor to provide corporate support for identifying resource persons from Lupin to participate in the academic and pedagogic aspects of the programme, wherever necessary.

The employees of Lupin admitted to the BITS programmes under this collaborative arrangement, will be treated as BITS students and will be governed by the fee structure and academic regulations of BITS and also by the service rules and regulations specified by Lupin.

Lupin would extend support in planning, organizing, implementation and continuation of the Practice School (PS) programme for students of BITS from its various campuses, both for the PS-I component of two months duration as well as the PS-II component of five and a half months duration.

A Coordination Committee consisting of Vice-Chancellor, BITS as Chairman, and two nominees each from BITS and Lupin would coordinate and monitor the academic and research programmes and all related operational matters within the framework of the academic regulations of BITS and the objectives outlined by Lupin.

The MoU was signed at BITS Pilani on Wednesday 18 November 2009. On behalf of BITS Dr G Sundar Dean Practice School Division and Dr LK Maheshwari signed the MoU. On behalf of Lupin, Mr Rituraj Sar General Manager Learning and Development and Dr Kamal K Sharma Managing Director signed the MoU.

Prior to the MoU signing function, Dr BR Natarajan Dean Work Integrated Learning Programmes along with Dr R Mahesh Group Leader of Pharmacy BITS Pilani gave Mr Rituraj Sar orientation about the educational process at BITS and took him on a quick visit across the campus which included Library as well as Pharmacy department.

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About BITS Pilani: The Birla Institute of Technology and Science - BITS Pilani is a Deemed to be University established vide Sec.3 of the UGC Act, 1956 under notification No. F.12-23/63.U-2 of June 18, 1964. NAAC - National Assessment and Accreditation Council reaccredited BITS with 3.71 CGPA out of 4 and awarded "A" grade "Very Good" status. It is indeed a matter of pride that for the year 2009, BITS Pilani has been ranked among the top ranking universities along with IITs in various Magazine surveys such as India Today, Outlook, LiveMint etc. BITS offers degrees in various disciplines presently at Pilani, Dubai, Goa and Hyderabad campuses. BITS Pilani has done pioneering work in industry university collaborations in terms of Practice School and Work Integrated Learning Programmes. Alumni of the Institute who are Proud to be BITSians and ambassadors for Brand BITS Pilani are spread across all continents from Australia to America.