Panjab University's Global Studies Institute Won't Run Academic Courses
Panjab University's Institute of Global Studies will not operate or host any academic courses independently. This clarification comes after sustained criticism about the institute's functioning. The university established PU-IGS as part of its internationalization efforts. However, it currently lacks a dedicated building, faculty, or independent academic structure.
Programs Return to Original Departments
All programs previously placed under PU-IGS are now shifting back to their respective teaching departments. This includes the controversial five-year BBA-MBA integrated program. University officials formally moved this program back to the University Institute of Applied Management Sciences. This decision reverses a last-minute transfer made just days before the entrance examination last year.
The BBA-MBA program faced sharp scrutiny from the beginning. It started with higher fees than expected. Admissions experienced significant delays. Classes began in temporary classrooms at the Centre for Academic Leadership and Education Management. The program had no designated faculty when it launched.
Parents and students raised serious concerns about these arrangements. They questioned how a flagship integrated program could operate under a newly created institute without proper academic foundation. Students particularly worried about the absence of a dedicated department, faculty appointments, and adequate infrastructure.
New Role as Coordination Body
Vice-chancellor Renu Vig provided clear clarification about PU-IGS's revised role. She stated that the institute will function only as an umbrella body for international collaborations. It will focus on global academic engagement rather than teaching responsibilities.
"Courses under IGS will be taught in the respective departments where they are designed," Vig explained. She emphasized that PU-IGS will continue facilitating foreign partnerships and international outreach activities. However, all actual teaching will occur within established academic departments.
Impact on Other Programs
The restructuring affects other programs announced under PU-IGS as well. Sanskrit and Punjabi courses designed for overseas students of Indian origin will now return to their language departments. These courses were originally projected as part of the institute's global outreach initiative.
Starting from the 2026-27 academic session, the respective language departments will deliver these courses directly. PU-IGS will limit itself to coordination and international engagement support for these initiatives.
Administrative Changes and Faculty Concerns
The university implemented additional administrative changes alongside this restructuring. Officials assigned the additional charge of PU-IGS to dean Kewal Krishan, who handles international student affairs. This move replaces the earlier administrative arrangement.
University officials explained that this change aligns the institute more closely with international student affairs rather than academic delivery. However, faculty members express concerns about the institute's current definition.
"If all teaching is happening in departments and IGS has no academic staff, then its role needs clearer definition," a senior faculty member commented. Faculty point out that PU-IGS now exists without courses, faculty, or physical infrastructure.
Student Relief and Larger Questions
The return of the BBA-MBA program to UIAMS brought immediate relief to enrolled students. The program will now operate from an established management institute with existing classrooms and administrative systems. This arrangement matches the original proposal's vision.
Despite this resolution, the episode quietly raised larger questions on campus. Many wonder whether PU-IGS, in its current form, functions as an academic institute or merely serves as a coordinating label. The university maintains that PU-IGS remains central to its long-term global strategy, even with its revised non-teaching role.
The statement marks a clear shift in how Panjab University defines PU-IGS's purpose. What began as an institute for global studies now focuses exclusively on coordination and international partnerships, leaving academic delivery to established departments.
