Partnerships for the Goals

Introduction                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

One of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015, the official wording is: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development”. There is a wide range of resources and knowledge available globally. A committed partnership or collaboration can successfully help the Universities to gain advantage of sustainability in the current situation. Globalisation and Digitisation are few steps that have made things easier compared to the past. Collaborations at various levels of the society like the local NGO’s, Local governmental organisations, State level NGO’s, State government, National governments, other Universities, Global partnerships can all help in exchange of Knowledge and Skills among the student and staff of the Universities. It has got the world closer and aims at growth together.

Collaborations have improved the level of Social responsibilities by providing help to the needy and education of masses on important issues. In this pandemic it has saved the lives of thousands of people, provided shelter, food and other essentials for the needy. It has led to inspirational talks by experts to motivate people in terms of Sanitation, Hygiene, Vaccination and Preservation of natural resources. Education and Research have seen new avenues due to Collaboration and Partnerships. Partnership thus provides Equity and Equal opportunities to all making this world a better place together. Nitte DU is proactive in implementing several such measures towards partnerships to achieve the mentioned goals.

COLLABORATIONS

NitteDU as a body has collaborations with several local, national and global health institutions to improve health & wellbeing of citizens.

LOCAL COLLABORATIONS

The Nitte Education Trust and now NitteDU, established in 1979 is committed to provide quality medical and dental care services to the rural population. The Rural Satellite Health Centers have been established to reach the rural population with the objective of creating health awareness, accessibility, availability and affordability by providing Comprehensive care free of cost to the patients in the underserved areas. The centres have been set up in collaboration with local NGO’s/ philanthropists, so that they are more acceptable to the community. More than 2,50,000 beneficiaries have been reported each year.

EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF RURAL HEALTH CENTRES

Dental wing- Sharada Dhanvanthari Charitable Hospital, Sringeri; Sadananda Health Centre, Subrahmanya; Justice K. S. Hegde Dental Clinic, Madikeri; Kowdoor Srinivasa Hegde Health Centre, Bailur; Nitte Rural Medical Psychiatry Centre and Justice K. S. Hegde Dental Clinic, Nitte; Nadiguthu Siddhu Shetty Health Centre, Mundkur; Rev. Fr. Robert Z. M. D’Souza Health Centre,Nada ;Chittoor Manjayya Shetty Health Centre, Maranakatte; Rtn. B. Sundar Hegde Rotary Health Centre, Dabbekatte; Thalipady Guthu Janakalyana Samithi Health Centre, Thalipady; Bellikoth Health Centre, Bellikoth; Nitte Meenakshi Hegde Health Centre, Hejamady Kodi; Mangalore University Health Centre, Konaje; Sevanjali Health Centre, Farangipete; Nitte Vidyadhiraja Health Centre, Mudipu; Sathya Sai Hospital, Alike; Primary Health Centre, Nellyadi; Sri Ramakrishna Primary & Higher Primary School, Harekala; Rural Health Training Centre, Sasihitlu; Urban Health Training Centre, Kadri; Primary Health Centre, Natekal.

PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRES:

Ishwaramangala, CHC Kadaba, PHC Kaniyoor, PHC Koila, PHC Kolthige, UPHC Puthur, PHC Nellyady, PHC Panaje, PHC Sarve, PHC Shirady, GH Puthur, PHC Thingalady, CHC Uppinangady, PHC Palthadi

ONGOING LOCAL AND NATIONAL COLLABORATIVE SPECIAL CARE PROGRAMMES:

N-BRITE - School Dental Health Programs; Nere Kere Kshema- A project for total community development; Nethra Jyothi - Rural Eye Care Services; Sahara - Free health check-up for Senior Citizens, KSHEMA Sandhya - Geriatric Day Care Facility, Manasadhara - Psychiatry rehabilitation center with support from Govt. of Karnataka;-SPECC (Nitte Special Children Care) - Free multidisciplinary health care to children with special health care; NICAT - Nitte Integrated Care for Tribal Community; Sanchalana - Subsidized diagnostic services and joint replacement program for arthritis and sports injuries; Sanjeevini - Blood Donor Registry; Bone Marrow Registry in collaboration with BMC Alumni Society; Community de-addiction camps; Free embalming facilities; Karunya- Helping Hand for the Disabled; Neevu Kshemave –A Television Based Weekly Live Health Information Talk with General Public on DAIJI WORLD TV- EVERY FRIDAY, Single Day Denture Camps-In Collaboration with Indian Dental Association, International School of Dentists and Government of Karnataka. Collaborative Studio – Study of Jain Basadis in Moodabidri,

PROJECTS APPROVED BY ICMR (THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA)

• Combating cancer through alternative approaches: Investigating the anti tumor properties of non-typhoidal Salmonella in transgenic zebrafish cancer models. Sanctioned Rs. 44 Lakhs: PI: Dr. Anirban Chakraborty
• Investigating antimicrobial efficacy of Nanobiotics against multidrug resistant gut pathogens. Sanctioned Rs. 47 Lakhs: PI: Dr. Deekshit
• Liquid Biopsy for Lung Cancer: Development of LAMP assays using cell-free DNA for screening of gene mutations that interfere with response to TKIs in patients. Sanctioned Rs. 40 lakhs: PI: Dr. Gunimala Chakraborty
• Deciphering outer membrane proteinbased resistance of bacteria to antibiotics and bacteriophage for effective control of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Sanctioned Rs. 30 Lakhs: PI:Dr. Biswajit Maiti
• Decoding the molecular mechanism associated with ionizing radiation induced hematopoietic malignancy using Drosophila model system. Sanctioned Rs. 24 Lakhs: PI: Dr. Anurag Sharma
• Dr. Usha. S. Adiga, Professor of Biochemistry, has been sanctioned with a grant of Rs. 20 Lakhs for her project on “Evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of three techniques, urine culture, urinary heparin binding protein by ELISA and multiplex PCR in detecting asymptomatic bacteriuria /pyuria in gestational diabetes mellitus”





PROJECTS FUNDED BY VISION GROUP ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, (VGST) DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS, IT, BT AND S & T, GOVERNMENT OF KARNATAKA

• Prof. Dr. Smitha Hegde, is awarded a project grant of Rs. 25 Lakhs for establishing a “Centre for Developing Sustainable Technologies for Mitigating Heavy Metal Pollution Under Changing Environment
• Dr. Nireeksha, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, has received an external grant of Rs.3 Lakhs under the category of medicine and life sciences, for her project titled “Salivary Vitamin D gene polymorphism in dental caries”





GLOBAL COLLABORATIONS:

Nitte (DU) collaborates with various International Organisations in improving health outcomes of the population. NITTE (Deemed to be University) has developed international collaborations with over 20 Universities and Institutes across the globe. These collaborations have led to development of joint research projects funded through International Cooperation Division of Department of Science and Technology (eg. Indo-Norway, Indo-Belgium) or though funding agencies in partner countries (eg. Swedish International Development Agency, National Environmental Research Council of UK). The collaborations have translated into several joint publications, joint international workshops, exchange of faculty and students at doctoral or postdoctoral level. Some of the international collaborations are specifically focused on faculty and student exchange.









I. HEALTHY UNIVERSITIES NETWORK

The UK Healthy Universities Network was established in 2006 in response to growing demand from HEIs interested in developing and implementing the Healthy Universities approach. It supports its members to develop and implement ‘whole university’ approaches to health, wellbeing and sustainability and is part of an exciting and fast-growing international movement.





II. CLEFT CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL, ZURICH AND SMILE TRAIN, USA

Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Craniofacial Surgery has been involved in free of cost multidisciplinary management of patients with cleft and craniofacial deformities for over a decade. The institute is funded by Cleft Children International, Zurich and Smile Train, USA which enables conduct of free surgeries for cleft lip and palate and complex craniofacial defects. Screening camps are organised every week in most interior parts of Karnataka and Kerala to identify, diagnose and treat such needy patients. Facial aesthetic surgeries free of cost are conducted for poor patients. Nitte (Deemed to be University) has entered into a partnership with Coursera to provide access to quality digital learning content to its students and staff.

III. INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF DENTISTS’ (SECTION VI)

A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, NitteDU in association with the International College of Dentists’ (Section VI) has been conducting various Oral and Dental awareness and Treatment camps in and around rural areas of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts of Karnataka.

IV. NITTE-KOBAYASHI CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE LAUNCHED

Mr. N.V. Hegde, Chancellor, Nitte DU and President, Nitte Education Trust virtually inaugurated the Nitte-Kobayashi Centre of Excellence on 29th September 2020. This unique centre being established by Kobayashi Create for the first time in India is a joint initiative of Nitte (Deemed to be University) and Kobayashi Create Co. Ltd., Japan.





V. THE UNIVERSITY OF PLYMOUTH AND NITTE

The University of Plymouth and Nitte University in India have entered a formal partnership to further research into the impact of climate and environmental education.

Outcomes of Nitte DU partnerships



• Award for best performance: Danta Bhagya Yojane Scheme of Govt. of Karnataka, Department of Family and Welfare services in association with National Health Mission and National Oral Programme recognized A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte for its outstanding performance in executing the scheme. Under this scheme 28 single day free Denture camps were conducted and 850 edentulous patients were treated with Complete Denture Prosthesis.
• Recognition: Prof. (Dr.) U.S.Krishna Nayak, Principal and Dean was presented with the International certificate of recognition by the Universitat Jaume Spain, in recognition of ‘Outstanding Contributions and Dedicated Services to Dental Education in particular and Dental Profession in General’ on 31st August 2019.
• Awarded Fellowship: Prof.(Dr.) Rakshith Hegde received fellowship from The International Team for Implantology, He is also an education delegate for ITI.
• Invited on International panels for subject expertise: Neurologist Dr Lekha Pandit Professor, Centre for Advanced Neurological Research (CANR) has been invited as member of the International Delphi Consensus Panel for treatment choices in NMOSD Delphi Consensus project. She is one among the invited International Neurologists worldwide to be in this panel of experts to arrive at a consensus regarding treatment choices in Neuromyelitisoptica spectrum disorders.
• Appointed as Associate editor: Prof. (Dr.) Biju Thomas, HOD, Department of Periodontics, has been appointed as ‘Associate Editor’ for Annals of Dentistry, the University of Malaya for the year 2020-21.
• Co-editor: Prof (Dr.) Smitha Hegde, Deputy Director, NUCSER, was elected as the coeditor of the Indian Fern Journal, Chandigarh from 2019 onwards.
  
  
  
  
• Vice-Chair of the Jury of UNESCO award:Prof. Dr. Indrani Karunasagar Director (R&D) & Director, Nitte- Centre for Science Education & Research (NUCSER) was nominated as the Vice-Chair of the Jury for the period 2020-2025, during the 10th UNESCO Award ceremony held at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 9th – 12th February 2020.
• Guest of Honour: Prof Dr Amarshree A Shetty, Dept. of Paediatric& Preventive Dentistry and Assoc. Dean of Student Welfare, ABSMIDS was honoured with the opportunity to inaugurate the Karnataka Rajyotsava organised by DK Zilla Kannada Sahitya Parishad and deliver the Rajyotsava message. She was felicitated for her enormous contribution towards training more than 1500 teachers and special educators of Government, aided and unaided schools of Dakshina Kannada on preventive protocols & standard operating procedures to be applied in schools post COVID 19 on 1st Nov, 2020
• International fellowship: On 20th Nov 2020, Dimple Nagaraj Seth from NUCSER was selected for MEXT scholarship for PhD in Japan.
Way forward..
It is a world class University with modern infrastructure and state of the art facilities. NitteDU continues to work selflessly to serve the community along with providing healthcare services, quality education, decent employment to the youth of the country.