Punjab Engineering College ( Deemed to be University), Chandigarh conducted an interactive Brainstorming session "Envisioning PEC" under the Chairmanship of Prof. Baldev Setia, Director PEC on 24th August 2022. The session was attended by deans, heads and the faculty members of the Institute to plan a roadmap for a bright future for Punjab Engineering College and to become one of the top 30 science and engineering institutes in the country.
The session started with Prof. Rajesh Bhatia, apprising the present members of the NIRF Ranking Process and progressed with a presentation by Prof. (Dr.) Baldev Setia, Director PEC flagging the issues and emphasising on certain reforms, steps and initiatives that are already being taken by PEC towards it. He focused on the increase in quality research and expansion of infrastructure, and enhancement of funds from the UT administration as some of the steps and initiatives. With an encouraging thought of Kaizen, the concept of continuous improvement, the director set the stage for productive interaction with the faculty members present for the betterment of the institution. Some of the concerns raised included a shortage of faculty members, middle-level officers and ministerial staff, the deficit of M.Tech students and PhD scholars, low research publication number and quality.
As a part of the brainstorming session, presentations by the head of the departments and deans highlighting the short-term and long-term goals were made. Increase in faculty strength, the desired faculty-student ratio, increase in the number of PhD scholars, quality research publication and citations, increase in sponsored projects and consultancy projects, external funding for research, engagement of faculty in outside interaction, involvement in FDPs and seminars, collaborative approach in research, brainstorming sessions in departments, were some of the suggestions presented by the members.
The session continued with an instant feedback form filled by all the present members regarding the institute followed by an interactive session in which the faculty members came forward with constructive suggestions for the betterment of the institute.
The event ended with Prof. Baldev Setia, Director PEC, acknowledging and appreciating the inputs from the faculty members and encouraging them to ponder over the points discussed in the session. He motivated the members present to come up with more such suggestions and make the campus productive and positive. The session remained a huge success as the improvement strategies for various current challenges faced by the institution were laid down and more brainstorming sessions are to be organised in future.