Integrating the Function of a University to a Work Place to Promote Post-Academic Research

Earlier universities had ‘teaching’ and ‘research’ as two missions and in recent times ‘contributing directly to industry’ has been added as the third mission. Considering that work places generate and disseminate knowledge, one can integrate the functions of a university to a work place. The author was involved in the implementation of such an integration and this article is an outcome of that experience. The article presents a summary of the relationship between science and technology, describes policy statements related to science and technology issued by the Government of India, and glimpses into the structure of research establishment in India. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) is tasked with setting up Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and its efforts have been supplemented by many other agencies of the Government. Agencies other than MHRD, including mission-oriented agencies, have oriented the HEIs established by them to cater to the needs of the business allocated to them. The article lists the motivations for setting up an HEI by a mission-oriented agency, where the idea of integrating the university function to a work place has been implemented.