Keeping its academic session on-time so that the student community does not suffer due to the global pandemic COVID-19, Chandigarh University has started its academic session for the 2020 batch with an online induction ceremony being conducted today for the engineering students. University officials including Vice-Chancellor, Dr. S. S. Sehgal Registrar, Dr. Nikhilesh Kumar Sharma Executive Director Engineering, Associate Director Department of Career Development & Planning and Manager Department International Affairs interacted with the students of new batch and apprised them about the Virtual Learning Model which the university will be adopting during the COVID-19 pandemic times. Chandigarh University has become the first university of North India to start its academic session 2020-21.“Chandigarh University has adopted a technology driven blended world-class academic learning model which is based on the world's most advanced and widely used Learning Management System Blackboard that will offer virtual classroom teaching along with simulation based hands-on practical training through virtual labs” said Vice-Chancellor. Global pandemic has resulted in paradigm shift towards virtual learning where the academic learning can be customized according to the student and Blackboard which is a AI & Machine Learning based Learning Management System and is used by more than 80% of the top ranked institutions and universities of the world offers a variety of features to the student community that enhances their learning experience, added Vice-Chancellor.While giving details about the induction program, Dr. S.S.Sehgal, Registrar, Chandigarh University, “Today the induction program was organized for the Post-Graduate and Under-Graduate students of 27 engineering streams while the induction ceremony for the stream like Commerce, Management, Liberal Arts, Humanities, Hotel Management, Journalism, Law and 50 other programs would continue through-out this week”.Internationally acclaimed motivational speaker and author Priya Kumar, Indian Cricketer Harbhajan Singh & Sreesanth, Former Caption Indian Hockey Team & Cabinet Minister Sandeep Singh, Ace Hockey Player Prabhjot Singh, Wrestler Sangram Singh, famous Hindi Poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas, Indian Television Actor Nandish Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner Ropar Sonal Giri (IAS), DIG Bareilly Rajesh Pandey (IPS) and other prominent dignitaries would be joining the students during the week long virtual induction program of the university.Chandigarh University virtual learning model through Blackboard will add a whole new dimension to the academics as prominent learning resources like Subject Experts, Industry Experts, Eminent Speakers from any part of world can join us and share their experience with the students which will add value to their academic learning, said Satnam Singh Sandhu, Chancellor, Chandigarh University.