Objective

Institution Innovation councils at institutes are envisioned an instrumental role to drive innovation and startup ecosystem at campus while connecting with ecosystem enablers at the regional and national levels. For this, the role of faculty being a member of IIC is very important. They play the role of a mentor or guide for young minds in their pursuit of innovation and entrepreneurship and it is equally crucial for mentors to have the adequate and right set of mentoring skills. Considering the fact that Indian HEIs are lacking in innovation and start-up mentor capacity to guide students on IPR, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, Institutions Innovation council of MHRD’s Innovation Cell aims to build mentorship capacity of IIC members through a series of training programs exclusively for faculty members and the trained IIC members are designated as “IIC – Innovation Ambassador”. IIC-MHRD’s Innovation Cell has taken a target to train more than 5000 faculties to develop mentoring skills on the above four themes by end of June 2020, end of IIC Calendar.

The beneficiaries of these training programs will join the network as “IIC-Innovation Ambassador” and will perform the role of mentor in their respective IICs, these Innovation Ambassadors will provide support to other IICs as a resource person in organizing various programs related to innovation and startup and spread the message of innovation & start-up among the students and faculties. As part of the Incentive and recognition system of IIC, the brief profile of these Innovation Ambassadors will feature on IIC portal for public display. Post-training these Innovation Ambassadors are felicitated with a token of recognition and responsibility which contains the badge of Innovation Ambassador along with AICTE and MIC logo. This token of recognition will reminisce Innovation Ambassadors about the responsibilities entrusted with them by MIC & AICTE.

After completion of training, these Innovation Ambassadors will have to complete various activities as prescribed and suggested by IIC, MIC. Innovation Ambassadors will be given activities at regular intervals to create awareness, inculcate entrepreneurial mindset, and bring cognizance about startups, IPR, and the importance of Innovation ecosystem enablers and facilitators among students and fellow faculty members. IIC Innovation Ambassadors will help MIC & AICTE to strengthen the grassroots innovation ecosystem in the country particularly in Higher Educational Institutions.

Role of IIC’s Innovation Ambassador

• Perform the role of mentor in their respective IICs
• Provide support to other IICs as resource person
• Spread the message of innovation & start-up among the students and faculties.

To retain the Innovation Ambassador tag he/she will have to perform 4 activities voluntarily by IA

• Activities organised within the institute towards promoting & supporting Innovation, IPR, and Start-up
• Activities organised outside the institute towards promoting & supporting Innovation, IPR, and Start-up
• Mentoring support and guidance provided to students towards participation in National Innovation Contest 2020
• Clinic: Clinic is a kind of counseling session/time slot declared by Innovation Ambassador to mentor students/faculties

Once the competition of this activity Innovation Ambassador is required to submit their reports.