Mohali, Punjab, November 6, 2024: Plaksha University, a technology university reimagining higher education and research in India and the Department of School Education, Punjab today hosted a transformative Teacher Training Program on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) for senior secondary school lecturers from 108 School of Eminence and 10 Meritorious Schools across Punjab. This workshop, held at Plaksha’s Mohali campus, was attended by 118 dedicated educators from prestigious Schools of Eminence and Meritorious Schools.
Conducted by Plaksha faculty, the workshop focused on equipping teachers with modern educational tools. The sessions offered practical applications, real-world examples and experimental tools, to enable teachers to bring subjects to life in their classrooms.
The Teacher Training Program introduced methods for active learning, project-based instruction, and effective interdisciplinary techniques that educators can use to make complex concepts accessible and engaging. The workshop also explored career paths in cutting-edge fields like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Biosystems, and Data Science. The day included sessions on interactive learning techniques in Mathematics, Physics, and Biology, led by faculty experts.
Commenting on this initiative, Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor at Plaksha University, said, "At Plaksha, we believe that empowering educators is a powerful step toward building a brighter future for students and society as a whole. This workshop is part of Plaksha University’s ongoing commitment to support educators and enhance the quality of STEM education in the region, make it experiential and project based. Through this workshop, we aim to foster a collaborative environment where teachers can exchange ideas, learn innovative practices, and inspire the next generation to pursue STEM with curiosity and confidence."
“Plaksha is dedicated to building a world-class educational ecosystem that seamlessly blends technology, research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Our interdisciplinary approach breaks down traditional academic boundaries, preparing catalytic leaders who are equipped to address today’s most pressing global challenges, he added.
Seema Bansal, Vice-Chairperson at the Punjab Development Commission, said, “The key objective of Teacher training is to empower STEM teachers with the latest pedagogical tools and subject knowledge to improve the quality of education in schools. It will also provide a platform for teachers to collaborate and learn from industry experts and peers,” said Seema Bansal, Vice Chairperson, Punjab Development Corporation.
Participating teachers received certificates recognizing their dedication to advancing educational outcomes and their contribution to shaping future-ready learners.
About Plaksha University:
Founded by a global community of more than 100 technology and business leaders, Plaksha envisions reimagining technology education and research for India and the world. With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, UC San Diego, UPenn, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bangalore, Plaksha aims to nurture and empower a generation of catalytic leaders and create an ecosystem of research and innovation. The university collapses the traditional boundaries of engineering and promotes interdisciplinary learning by combining technology, design and entrepreneurship.
Plaksha is guided by an eminent academic board including Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. S Shankar Sastry, Thomas Siebel Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Venkatesh Narayanamurthi, former Dean of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research India; Julia Ross, Dean of Engineering, Virginia Tech; Krishna Palepu, Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; Sanjay Sarma, Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT; and business leaders such as Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman – Asia Pacific, BCG; Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises ;Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter & CEO, Info Edge (Naukri.com); Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Fractal Analytics; Manas Human, Co- Founder, Nagarro; Navin Chaddha, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund; Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder, Udaan.com; Dalip Pathak, Special Limited Partner, Warburg Pincus LLC; CP Gurnani, former MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra; Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Clix Capital among others. Corporate donors include companies like Bharti Foundation, Havells, HT Parekh Foundation, Mphasis, Axis Bank and Motilal Oswal. The global community of business leaders who founded Plaksha can be seen here.