AICTE To Set Up A Training Centre For IDEA Lab In Haryana

Pune, 23rd September 2021: AICTE will be setting up a training centre for Idea Lab in Haryana shortly. “We will be establishing a training centre for Idea Lab in Haryana shortly,” said Dr Rajive Kumar, member-secretary, AICTE, while unveiling a week-long Faculty Development Program (FDP) at the premises of DY Patil International University (DYPIU) in Pune today.

AICTE has decided to establish IDEA (Idea, Development, Evaluation & Application) Lab in AICTE approved institutions, encouraging students for application of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fundamentals towards enhanced hands-on experience, learning by doing and even product visualization.

The program, which is sponsored by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), is being held by AICTE Training & Learning Academy (ATAL) Academy. The faculties coming from across the country are attending the event, which will be concluded on September 28.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Neeraj Saxena, advisor, IDC, AICTE said that Idea Lab is all about experiential learning and the future of education lies in online platforms. AICTE is preparing faculties to prepare questions based on Idea Lab as it was going to be a game-changer, he said, adding, “Rather than being any scheme, the concept of Idea Lab has taken the shape of a movement.”

As a common facility embedded in the institution, the IDEA Lab will make engineering graduates more imaginative and creative, besides getting basic training in the 21st-century skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, design thinking, collaboration, can facilitate the students and faculty to engage, explore, experience, express and excel as desired by Prime Minister in the wake of the release of National Educational Policy 2020.

As the Idea Lab is going to be a long-term intervention aiming to transform education imparted in the institution, the proposal must spell out a clear vision for the Lab, plan of implementation, mobilization of resources, strength and enthusiasm of faculty, utilization and expansion of facilities etc. The alignment of activities with larger national goals/missions/initiatives or industrial requirements or serving disadvantaged.

Prof Prabhat Ranjan (Vice Chancellor, DYPIU) who is also the chairman of AICTE Idea Lab National Committee said, “There is a need to have a change in the education system as we have moved away from the experience of learning.”

The purpose of Idea Lab is to provide all facilities under one roof, for conversion of an idea into a prototype. With these facilities on the campus, more students and faculty will be encouraged to take up creative work and in the process, get training on creative thinking, problem solving, collaboration etc. which conventional labs are not able to. The focus will be on training students so that they become imaginative and creative and stay so at the workplaces they join. The program is specifically designed for faculty members, research scholars, engineers and professionals.