The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India, as a part of its 12th Five-year plan (2012-17) has taken a national initiative to set up a network of Design Innovation Centres (DICs) across the country. One Open Design School and a National Design Innovation Network will link these DICs to evolve a nationwide ecosystem of resource and knowledge sharing to impart education and training to foster the innovative culture of designing products, processes and technologies of need to society. The MHRD has approved the establishment of a DIC at Panjab University, Chandigarh to focus on innovations around engineering products, add value to the available engineering designs and promote early stage start-up companies. Several ideas are being perused for developing a new pedagogy in teaching and training in design, new fabrications and innovations. A number of design technologies for smart cities, biomedical devices, advanced materials, navigational and tourism aids, green environment, energy & traffic management, communication etc have been taken up at the DIC in PU.
