'Research pay offs could take long'

 
The vice-chancellor of the 800-year-old Cambridge University (UK), Professor Alison Richards said on Tuesday at the IISC that all research-oriented institutions must be in it for the long haul. Professor Richards delivered a lecture on the topic of ‘Catalysing Innovation: The Role of Universities,’ as part of a series of events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the IISC and also the historical ties between India and the United Kingdom (UK).

“Research-intensive universities are pre-eminently of and for, the long haul. It is absolutely critical to their continued health, vitality and contributions to society that their impact be viewed accordingly,” she said. Professor Richards added that if universities were to support innovation then it is imperative that they be “flexible and have permeable boundaries to support the movement of discoveries.”

The V-C is on a 10-day exploratory visit across Indian cities to interact with academicians and corporates alike. The lecture at the IISC was the highlight of Professor Richards’ visit to India. A visit during which, she has and will be interacting with academicians from other institutions including the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai and the Delhi University.