University of Jammu Special Purpose Vehicle Foundation (UOJSPVF) and School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (SHTM), University of Jammu organized a Faculty Mentor Development Workshop on ‘Fostering an Entrepreneurial Spirit on Campus- A Roadmap for Academic Mentors’.

Prof. Unnat Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) and Professor, JNU,in his inaugural address focused on the significance of entrepreneurship in India and the expanding role of mentors towards creating an entrepreneurial environment. He emphasized the need for training and empowering the faculty towards mentoring and creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the University as well as the region. He further said that experiential learning can offer useful insights to the youth of the nation and create a roadmap for them to explore several entrepreneurial opportunities and tap their potential. He appreciated the efforts and initiatives undertaken by UOJSPVF, University of Jammu towards promoting an entrepreneurial culture in the region.

Dr. Abha Rishi, CEO, AIC-BIMTECH, in her address deliberated upon the need for inculcating a clear vision in the students aligned towards their professional goals. She mentioned that the right mentorship, guidance and a complementing team together can support young entrepreneurs to shape their entrepreneurial journey. She also highlighted the importance of thinking out of the box and implementing the same.

Earlier Prof. Parikshat Singh Manhas,CEO and Director, University of Jammu Special Purpose Vehicle Foundation and Director, SHTM, in his welcome address said that the workshop has been conceptualized with the objective of promoting entrepreneurial activity and training faculty mentors to encourage students to innovate and become job creators rather than job seekers. He expressed that this workshop shall facilitate in providing direction to the faculty mentors and help in establishing incubation facilities in their respective campuses. He mentioned that through this workshop, faculty mentors would be able to support students from idea generation to commercialization, integrate entrepreneurship teaching in their classroom and foster leadership skills amongst the faculty mentors.