Objective of Institution's Innovation Council (IIC)
The Institution's Innovation Council aims to create an ecosystem within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that fosters innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship among students and faculty. It provides a structured approach to building capabilities and offering support mechanisms for turning ideas into impactful solutions.
1. Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship Skills
- Ideation:
- Encourage students and faculty to brainstorm innovative ideas addressing societal, industrial, and local challenges.
- Conduct ideation sessions to identify and nurture promising concepts.
- Problem Solving:
- Teach systematic problem-solving approaches using frameworks like Root Cause Analysis, Six Sigma, and Agile methodologies.
- Organize problem-solving workshops where participants tackle real-world industry and community challenges.
- Proof of Concept Development:
- Guide participants in building initial prototypes to validate the feasibility of their ideas.
- Provide access to tools, labs, and resources to transform concepts into tangible outcomes.
- Design Thinking:
- Offer training in user-centric innovation techniques, including empathizing, ideating, prototyping, and testing.
- Use case studies and simulations to demonstrate design thinking in action.
- Intellectual Property Rights (IPR):
- Conduct workshops to educate participants on the importance of IPR, patent filing, copyright, and trademarks.
- Provide assistance in drafting and filing patents for innovative ideas.
- Project Handling and Management:
- Teach project management techniques like Gantt charts, Agile methodologies, and SCRUM to manage innovation projects effectively.
- Encourage participants to apply these skills in managing innovation-related projects within IIC initiatives.
2. Creating a Mentor Pool
- Establishing a Network of Mentors:
- Identify and onboard experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals to act as mentors.
- Create a database of mentors accessible to students and faculty for guidance.
- Periodic Workshops and Seminars:
- Organize regular events such as workshops, webinars, and seminars to bridge the gap between academia and industry.
- Include topics like fundraising, marketing strategies, and scaling start-ups.
- Interactive Sessions with Experts:
- Facilitate face-to-face or virtual interactions with successful start-up founders and investors.
- Enable students to pitch ideas and receive real-time feedback.
- Customized Mentorship Programs:
- Match student innovators with mentors based on their project requirements and expertise areas.
- Monitor and evaluate mentorship outcomes to ensure the effectiveness of the program.
3. Promoting a Collaborative Innovation Culture
- Encourage interdisciplinary collaborations among students and faculty from diverse academic backgrounds.
- Develop platforms for sharing knowledge, ideas, and resources to create a thriving innovation culture within the institution.
