Lovely Professional University

Lovely Professional University

LPU
Seal of the Lovely Professional University[1]
Motto	Transforming Education, Transforming India.
Type	Private
Established	2005 (2005)
Chancellor	Ashok Mittal[2]
Vice-Chancellor	Dr. Ramesh Kanwar[3]
Academic staff	3,500
Students	25,000
Location	Phagwara, Punjab, India 31°15′13″N 75°42′13″E / 31.253609°N 75.70367°E / 31.253609; 75.70367Coordinates: 31°15′13″N 75°42′13″E / 31.253609°N 75.70367°E / 31.253609; 75.70367
Campus	Semi-urban 600 acres (2.4 km2)[4]
Acronym	LPU
Nickname	Vertos
Affiliations	University Grants Commission (UGC), Association of Indian Universities (AIU), National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE), Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), Council of Architecture (COA), Bar Council of India (BCI)
Website	www.lpu.in

Lovely Professional University is a semi-residential university college in North India created under the Punjab State Private University Act 2005 and recognized by UGC^[5] under Section 2(f) of UGC Act 1956.^[6] LPU offers around 200 programmes and courses at diploma, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. The university has more than 30,000 students graduating every year.^[7][8]

Situated on National Highway-1, at the entrance to Jalandhar City, the university offers separate residential facilities for male and female students. It has connections with universities and institutes in the USA, UK, Germany,UAE,China, MIT,Australia, Canada, Singapore, Brazil, Poland, and Ghana for twinning programmes and student exchanges.

The university has received the recognition, approval and membership of the national statutory bodies UGC,^[9] NCTE, PCI,^[10] IAP, COA, BCI, AIU^[11] and international memberships of Association of Commonwealth Universities (UK), International Association of Universities (France), Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs (USA), The Institute of International Education (New York).

The Department of Posts released LPU’s Postal stamp of Rs. 5 at Jalandhar on 18 November 2016. Now, Lovely Professional University has become the first University to have its customised postage stamp.^[12]

History

LPU was founded as Lovely Professional University in 2005 by Mr. Ashok Mittal.

The college was affiliated with Punjab Technical University. In 2001 Started with Lovely Institute of Management, In 2002 Lovely Institute of Technology (Engineering and Pharmacy), In 2003 Lovely Institute of Education and Lovely Institute of LAW, In 2004 Lovely Institute of Technology (Architecture, Polytechnic, Higher studies & Vocational Studies), In 2005 BPT, M.Ed., D. Pharm (Ayr, PGDCA, In 2006 under UGC Act became Lovely Professional University and In 2011 Distance Education.

Campus life

LPU's Division of Student Affairs (DSA) provides leisure activities. The Division designs culture, sports, services and other allied social activities and delivers these through different clubs. There is a mall within the campus that houses the in-campus Hotel Unihotel, along with a bowling alley and a state-of-the-art multi-gym at the top floor. There are various kiosks spread across the campus for varied needs.

Accreditation

• LPU is a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU), an organization promoting university activities.^[13]
• National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)- A statutory body of the Government of India established for planned & coordinated development of teacher education system.
• Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)-A statutory body of Government of India established to regulate the Pharmacy Education. A pharmacist can register under the Pharmacy Act and pursue the Profession and Practice of Pharmacy.
• Indian Association of Physiotherapists(IAP)- Department of Physiotherapy has been granted provisional affiliation to IAP, an association to set and ensure ethical professional practices.
• Council of Architecture(COA)- B.Arch and M.Arch programmes at Lovely School of Architecture & Design are approved by COA, a statutory body constituted by the Government of India.
• Bar Council of India (BCI)
• Indian Association of Physiotherapists (IAP)
• The Institution of Engineers (India)- All Engineering, diploma & computer science courses are recognized by The Institution of Engineers (India).
• The University Grants Commission-Distance Education Bureau (A regulatory body of the Government of India, established for Open and Distance Learning System).

International Membership

(International Regulatory Authorities)

• International Association of Universities (IAU), France- IAU is worldwide association bringing institutions and organizations together from around 150 countries for reflection and action on common concerns in higher education.
• Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), United Kingdom- ACU is the oldest inter-university network combining the expertise and reputation of over ninety years' experience with new and innovative programmes designed to meet the needs of 21st century.
• The Institute of International Education(IIE), New York- IIE is the world's most experienced global higher education and professional exchange agency administering over 250 international training programs around the world.
• Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), USA- ACBSP is a specialized accreditation association for business education supporting, celebrating, and rewarding teaching excellence.
• The Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP), Thailand- AUAP is the Association providing the means whereby the universities of the Asian and Pacific region as defined by UNESCO, may work together.

Awards

• The Lovely Faculty of Technology and Sciences was ranked #12 on the CSR-GHRDC Engineering Colleges Survey 2011.^[14]
• LMA Vardhman award was given to Ashok Mittal, Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU). The university got the best private university of the year award by ASSOCHAM for the year 2012.^[15]
• TV Channel Star News (Now ABP News) conferred National 'Outstanding B-School – North' Award and B-School Leadership – National' Award to LPU in 2011.^[16]
• LPU bagged the World Education Award 2016 at the 7th World Education Summit held in New Delhi. The award has been given to acknowledge LPU’s efforts in developing human resource to bring innovation in open and distance learning.^[17]

International Association of Universities (IAU) memberships

Sign near Mandi, Himachal Pradesh

LPU holds IAU membership with:^[18]

• France: Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU),^[19]
• United Kingdom: Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs(ACBSP),^[20]
• United States: The Institute of International Education(IIE), New York and Maldives Qualification Authority, Maldives.^[21]

LPU has an International Students Division, which serves as a single point of contact for the international students for issues relating to visa, travel guidance, academic counselling or availing of student services on the campus.

The University offers four major types of international programs:

1. International Twinning Arrangement Programs, wherein a student completes a part of studies at LPU and the remaining part with LPU's partner Foreign University under articulation arrangements.
2. English Language Programs for international students, from non-English speaking Countries or those where English is not the first language.
3. Study India Programs for students studying abroad.
4. Study Abroad Programs where the LPU students study a part of the programme in a university (LPU's partner university) in a different country and earn the academic credits from that university which are clubbed/added to the credits from LPU.

Corporate Tie-ups

• Google: Lovely Professional University has partnered with Google to train android developers. LPU has signed MOU with Google Inc for establishing Google Center of Excellence at LPU Campus. Students on completion of training and examination will get certification from Google itself.^[22][23]
• Paytm: The tie-up between Paytm and Lovely Professional University will allow students to pay fees, cafeteria and other on campus bills using Paytm wallet.^[24]

Admissions

Admission in Lovely Professional University in all courses is conducted on a merit basis through an online entrance exam. LPU organises its own entrance exam, called the Lovely Professional University National Entrance and Scholarship Test (LPU NEST). It is conducted every year in the month of April and May. In 2015 over four lakh students appeared for the entrance examination. The exam has been conducted online since 2011.

Scholarships

Mahendra Singh Dhoni at LPU campus inaugurating the MS Dhoni scholarship for young cricketers

Scholarship of up to Rs. 7.5 lakh per student has been offered by LPU upon qualifying the entrance cum scholarship test LPU NEST.^[25] The benefit of this scholarship program has reached to more than 30,000 students. LPU is taking into account the performance of both; academically strong students as well as those who have performed well in sports or other co-curricular activities.^[26]

Lovely Professional University has introduced a cricket scholarship for budding cricketers on Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s name. The MS Dhoni scholarship was launched by Dhoni himself at LPU campus. The scholarship duration is 3 years and includes tuition fee, residential accommodation and food charges.^[27][28]

Placements

LPU has set several placement records in the past few years:

• 610 engineering students’ were placed in Cognizant technologies in a single day.^[29]
• 38 MBA students of LPU got placed in Think and learn.^[30]
• In 2015–16, 550 students got selected in a day wherein Cognizant was again the top recruiter followed by Tech Mahindra.^[31][32]
• LPU students have procured International as well as national placements in top brands. It includes placement in Qatar Airways with highest package of Rs 20 Lakh followed by Hyatt Hotel USA, Air India, Practo Technologies, Josh Technology and LG Soft.^[33]
• There have been more than 200 campus placement drives in LPU in 2015–2016 itself.^[33]
• LPU alumni are working in renowned companies at packages up to Rs. 1 crore.^[34]
• LPU students are placed in prestigious companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Oracle, Dell etc.^[32]

Honorary Degree Recipients

• In 2013, Honorable Hamid Karzai then President of Afghanistan became LPU Alumni as he accepted LPU “Honorary Causa Degree”.^[35]
• In 2015, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was conferred a degree of Doctor of Divinity, Honoris Causa, from Lovely Professional University.^[36]
• In 2015, President of Mauritius Mr. Rajkeswur Purryag was conferred upon Honorary Doctorate Degree of LPU.^[37]
• In 2015, Honorable Prime Minister of Lesotho Kingdom Dr. Pakalitha Bethuel Mosisili was conferred upon ‘Honorary Causa Degree’ of LPU.^[38]
• In 2016, LPU conferred its ‘Honorary Causa Degree’ to Honorable Prime Minister of Dominican Republic (North America) Roosevelt Skerrit.^[39]

Memberships

The University is recognized by University Grant Commission (UGC) and is member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU). It is also a member of other prestigious global organisations such as International Association of Universities (IAU), France; Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), UK; Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs(ACBSP), USA; The Institute of International Education(IIE), New York and Maldives Qualification Authority, Maldives.^{[18][19][20][9][40]}

Violence on campus

In April 2011, during a football game a student was beaten by opposition team members and died a few hours later in hospital. The beaten student was from Mizoram and the three accused were Sudanese and Tanzanian.^[41] The racial aspect of the crime led to near-rioting on the campus, destroying a number of kiosks and cars. Tension continued with the university closed for three days, and with police being pelted with stones by angry students.^[42] LPU Pro-Chancellor Rashmi Mittal described the attack as, "students didn’t take the spirit of the game in a positive manner".^[43] The university's management have also been criticised for ignoring earlier and later racial attacks.^{[44] [45]}

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lovely Professional University.

• Official website