Mumbai: In a bid to strengthen research, innovation and intellectual property creation in higher education institutions, the Maharashtra State Faculty Development Academy (MSFDA), under the Higher and Technical Education Department, organised a three-day state-level faculty development programme titled *Project to Product to Patents* at the MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi.
Held under the guidance of Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, the programme sought to equip faculty members with the skills required to transform academic projects into industry-relevant products and patentable innovations. The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's emphasis on experiential and project-based learning.
A total of 40 faculty members from the MIT Academy of Engineering participated in the training programme, which covered the complete innovation cycle—from identifying real-world problems and analysing root causes to product design, prototype development, intellectual property rights and patent registration.
The sessions were conducted by experts including Dr. Vishal Sardeshpande, Dr. Kshipra Moghe, Dr. Kedar Bhagwat, Dr. Arun Dixit, Ranjit Shanbag, Ashutosh Prachand and Milind Chaudhary.
Participants were introduced to innovation tools such as the Fishbone Diagram, SCAMPER and Six Thinking Hats, while also exploring themes including environmental sustainability, green campuses and Vigyan Ashram's "Learning by Doing" approach.
According to the Higher and Technical Education Department, the workshop aimed to help faculty members guide students in converting classroom projects into socially relevant products and commercially viable innovations. The programme also focused on strengthening research orientation among students by connecting academic ideas with industry requirements and familiarising participants with the process of intellectual property protection and patent filing.
During the concluding session, faculty members expressed their commitment to encouraging students to develop innovative solutions with practical applications and to promote entrepreneurship within higher education institutions.
MSFDA Executive Director Dr. Shailendra Deolankar said the initiative would help deepen the culture of research, innovation and entrepreneurship across colleges and universities in Maharashtra. He expressed confidence that programmes of this nature would accelerate the state's efforts to transform academic ideas into impactful products and patented technologies.
