UGC-Human Resource Development Centre, University of Kashmir (KU) organised a three-day workshop on community engagement for the participants of 83rd General Orientation Course which started here at KU on Wednesday.
The workshop has been organized in collaboration withMahatma Gandhi National Council for Rural Education (MGNCRE), Dept. of HigherEducation, MHRD, Govt. of India, Hyderabad. An inaugural function of theworkshop was held at HRDC that was chaired by the acting Vice-Chancellor, KUProf. Nilofer Khan and also attended by the faculty member of MGNCRE, Dr. SyedZahra.
In her presidential address acting Vice-Chancellor, KU,Prof. Nilofer Khan emphasized upon bridging the divide between textualknowledge and contextual practices and healing the rift between highereducation and public life.
Prof. Nilofer expressed satisfaction that such workshopswill provide practical opportunities to the teachers and students forparticipation in rural community mobilization, service engagement andempowerment activities in association with trained resident communityvolunteers. She assured the Director HRDC of all possible help from theUniversity in taking such initiatives forward.
In his inaugural address, Director, UGC-HRDC, KU Prof.Shabir Ahmad Bhat stated that there is a need to move from a model of ‘publicservice’ where universities do things for ‘passive & needy public’, to oneof public work that taps, engages and develops the civic agency, talents andcapacities of everyone, inside and outside the institution.
He elaborated that while General Orientation Courses areaimed at capacity building of young and budding college and universityteachers, community engagement activities.
Prof. Shabir Ahmad Bhat also declared that the Centre willbe conducting more such programs in future in collaboration with MGNCRE with aview to bring benefits for the communities as well as help in the continuousacademic development of the University.