The University of Kashmir is contemplating to augment facilities at its UGC-Human Resource Development Centre (HRDC) in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy-2020 and challenges thrown by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Addressing the inaugural session of the week-long online refresher course in social sciences, KU Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir said: “Covid-19 has been a great learning for academic institutions. We cannot let academics suffer in such situations. Since our HRDC is primarily meant for holding faculty induction and refresher courses, we are, under the leadership of our honourable Vice-Chancellor, committed to further augment its facilities, especially for online programmes, so that it continues to hold such its academic activities unhindered.”
The refresher course for college and university teachers was Saturday inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad.
Dr Mir said that teachers haven’t been interacting much or accessing libraries ever since the Covid-19 started and this has necessitated holding such online refresher courses.
Prof Bashir A Khan, Dean of Social Sciences at KU, who was a guest of honour, said it has been the university’s constant endeavour to see that our teachers don’t lag behind in their pursuit for knowledge and research.
Director UGC-HRDC Prof Shabir Ahmad Bhat said all areas related to social sciences were important because these help create better institutions and systems that concern people’s everyday lives.
He said the NEP-2020 aims to provide quality education and the responsibility of social sciences faculty is very huge in achieving the objectives of this national flagship programme.
“The NEP 2020 is an opportunity for modern universities to see how they can act as co-producers of knowledge and create partnerships with other institutions of learning,” he said, asserting that UGC-HRDC will continue to work with greater zeal to help teachers remain updated with newer trends and challenges in their fields of study and research.
Prof Pamela Singla from Delhi University’s Department of Social Work, who was a guest of honour and lead resource person for Saturday’s session, said the refresher course was an opportunity for the participants to learn new things which will benefit the students eventually.
She congratulated the UGC-HRDC for planning the refresher course meticulously.
“This refresher course has been designed to meet the requirements of NEP-2020 which calls for an interdisciplinary approach to education and research,” she said.
Coordinator UGC-HRD Dr Geer Mohammad Ishaq said the refresher course has been designed in view of the emerging importance of social sciences and the fact that Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the social life of people. Dr Sumeer Gul, Course Coordinator, elaborated on the panel of experts for the upcoming sessions of the refresher course. Dr Geer Mohammad Ishaq later presented a formal vote of thanks.