BASF collaborates with the Pune Knowledge Cluster to launch WEnyan: a research scholarship program driven by Women for Women
- Partnership Facilitated by Strategic Alliances Division under Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India
- Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), the implementing partner, is one of the six S&T clusters under the aegis of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India
- PKC will monitor progress of the scholarship program while BASF will fund scientific research for women from marginalized backgrounds in Maharashtra
Mumbai, India, April 7, 2022: BASF Chemicals India Private Limited (BCIPL) has signed an agreement with the Pune Knowledge Cluster (PKC), an initiative facilitated by the Office of the PSA, to launch WEnyan, a research scholarship program for women in Maharashtra. WEnyan (विज्ञान) represents Science; ‘WE’ stands for Women in Education while ‘nyan’ (ज्ञान) is knowledge.
WEnyan is a holistic scholarship program where women in leadership positions from scientific fields will play an active and important role in selecting, mentoring, and monitoring other women candidates in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility commitments, BCIPL will provide financial support for research projects, to women candidates from marginalized backgrounds in the state of Maharashtra. These women will be selected by PKC. The areas of research will include Applied Natural Sciences, Specialty Chemicals, Agri-Chemicals, New Materials, and Sustainability.
Through this initiative, PKC aims to increase enrollment and retention of women in scientific streams creating a more gender-equal workforce. Key beneficiaries of the program would be women from marginalized communities and low-income groups in Maharashtra, who are either pursuing or have completed undergraduate degree (BSc / BTech / BE) or Master’s degree (MSc / MTech / ME) and want to explore entrepreneurship.
Research indicates that STEM-related jobs as well as science-based entrepreneurship have grown in the past few years in India. An increase in enrolment of women in higher education coupled with lower dropout rates at the undergraduate and graduate levels is a crucial step towards reducing gender gap in the organized workforce.
For more details about the program please write to shilpa.jain@pkc.org.in.
About Office of Principal Scientific Adviser (o/PSA)
In November 1999, Cabinet Secretariat established the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. The PSA’s office aims to provide pragmatic and objective advice to the Prime Minister and cabinet on matters related to science, technology and innovation with a focus on application of science and technology in critical infrastructure, economic and social sectors in partnership with Government departments, institutions and industry. Under the office of the PSA, Strategic Alliance division facilitates Industry-Academia-Start-ups collaborations among industries, Foundations, philanthropist and academic science and innovation ecosystem (institutes, city clusters and start-ups) in order to gradually meet the National and Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About PKC
The Pune Knowledge Cluster has been established by the Office of The Principal Scientific Adviser, GoI under The City Knowledge and Innovation Cluster Initiative (CKIC). PKC aims to bring together Academic Institutions, R&D organizations, Industries, Industry Associations, NGOs, Civic Bodies, Local and State governments to collectively work for the betterment of Pune City by leveraging the science and technology capabilities of its partner organizations. PKC is hosted by the Inter-University Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA) which is a UGC-supported government institution in Pune. http://pkc.org.in/.
About BASF in India
BASF has successfully partnered India’s progress for more than 130 years. As of the end of 2021, BASF had 2,311 employees in India with 8 production sites and 39 offices throughout the country. The Innovation Campus Mumbai and the Coatings Technical Center in Mangalore are both part of BASF’s global technology platform. In 2021, BASF registered sales of approximately €2.3 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on www.basf.com/in.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111.000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €78.6 billion in 2021. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
