University to mould entrepreneurs

The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has approved the setting up of an Entrepreneurship Development Cell at the University of Kerala to train students of science courses and mid-career scientists in basic business skills.

The DST has sanctioned Rs.6.5 lakh as recurring expenditure for five years and Rs.3.41 lakh as non-recurring expenditure for setting up the EDC (around Rs.35 lakh).

The primary aim of the cell will be to provide students of science programmes in the teaching department and in the affiliated colleges the management wherewithal to set up companies or laboratories dealing with various aspects of science and research.

Science entrepreneurs

A senior university academic associated with the framing of the proposal said here that at present such students did not have any training to become `science entrepreneurs.'
"They may possess a lot of technical skills. But if, for instance, a student of the fisheries programme wishes to set up a hatchery, or a student of another science course wishes to start a laboratory he just will not know how to go about it. Such persons have to be scientists as well as good businessmen. The EDC will focus on the latter part," he explained.
The Institute of Management in Kerala (IMK) - that was closely associated with the framing of the project proposal - is expected to come up with the syllabus for the training programmes.
The idea is to develop training modules that can then be offered as electives in the credit and semester PG programmes of the university's teaching departments. For students in the affiliated colleges, this training can be offered either as short courses outside the curriculum or be dovetailed into the syllabus.

On the drawing board

Though such a curriculum is still on the drawing board, the university has already identified some aspects that should necessarily be part of the training modules.
This includes field training for students to give them a first-hand exposure to the running of companies and laboratories and rigorous training in methods of drawing up business and research proposals to be submitted to various funding agencies.
According to sources in the university, the EDC will also focus on imparting business skills to mid-career scientists. As for the students, the IMK will also draw up a training module that will answer the distinct needs of mid-career scientists who wish to turn entrepreneurs.

Revenue earner

Apart from benefiting scientists working in the State, this venture is also expected to bring in revenue to the university. Along with this, the EDC is also expected to frame a `train-the-trainer' programme to orient members of the faculty of science, commerce and the management departments so that they are part of the core training team at the cell.
A competency training centre, an industry incubation centre and a women's empowerment centre will also be established under the EDC, sources in the university said.

---The Hindu---