Beyond Books And Degrees: LPU’s Approach To Giving Students Ownership Of Their Future

New Delhi [India], August 12: As the world marks International Youth Day, the occasion resonates deeply with Lovely Professional University’s (LPU) longstanding belief in placing young people at the heart of education. LPU’s campus culture has consistently encouraged students to explore their passions, gain real-world experience, build industry-relevant skills, take ownership of their aspirations, and create an environment where young people can learn, experiment, and grow in multiple directions, an ethos the university calls Edu-Revolution.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor, LPU, said,“If we trust an 18-year-old to make an important decision about the future of our country, why should we not trust that young person to make informed choices about their own education? We believe in the wisdom, competence, and potential of our students. Education should give them the freedom to explore what they want to learn and the opportunity to learn through real-world experiences, not just through books and laboratories. This is the essence of our Education Revolution – empowering students to take greater ownership of their learning and prepare themselves for the future they want to build.”

The approach is visible in the range of opportunities available to students alongside their academic programmes. More than 15,000 students have participated in experiential learning initiatives, while student-led ventures have generated ₹20 crore+ in earnings and contributed to the launch of 400+ startups. Students have also been able to engage in internships, live projects, research, innovation, freelancing, consultancy, and entrepreneurship while pursuing their degrees.

For some students, these opportunities have become avenues to gain professional experience and earn while they learn. Internships and industry projects provide exposure to workplace environments, while freelance and consultancy assignments allow students to apply their skills to real requirements. Research and innovation programmes offer another pathway for those interested in developing ideas, technologies and solutions beyond the conventional curriculum.

The same philosophy extends to entrepreneurship, where students can explore an idea, work with mentors, develop prototypes and access incubation support while continuing their studies. LPU’s incubation ecosystem has supported the growth of student-led ventures, reflecting an approach where entrepreneurship is not treated solely as a post-graduation option but can become part of the learning journey itself.

For LPU, the larger idea is to give students room to make choices while providing the academic and institutional support to pursue them responsibly. The university’s Edu-Revolution thus brings together classroom learning with opportunities to experiment, apply knowledge, and gain experience, allowing young people to build their education around the directions they wish to explore.