Srinagar: Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
According to a press note one MoU is at the institutional level to foster collaboration in the areas of academics and innovative research and the other one specific to promoting innovative technology intervention in agriculture, water management and in developing Smart City applications.
The MoUs were signed by Vice Chancellor of IUST, Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo and Director IIT Ropar Prof Rajeev Ahuja yesterday at IIT Ropar in presence of Dean Academic Affairs/Dean School of Engineering & Technology Prof A H. Moon, Director CIED IUST Dr Parvez A Mir, Dean R&D IIT Ropar Prof Navin Kumar, Deans IIT Ropar Prof C C Reddy, Prof Raina, Dr. Rakesh Kumar and Director (iHub – AwaDH) Dr Pushpendra P Singh.
Under this collaboration, IUST and IIT Ropar have agreed to collaborate on areas of mutual interest for the benefit of students and faculty that also includes facilitating direct admission of meritorious IUST students to PhD programmess at IIT Ropar, joint supervision of student project/dissertation works, floating of joint courses, faculty exchange programmes, partnering on joint research proposals besides sharing of laboratory facilities and e-resources. The MoU shall also cover joint organization of conferences, seminars, symposia, workshops and other outreach programs.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Romshoo highlighted the importance of collaboration of regional institutions to study some of the global problems like the impact of environmental and climate change in the trans-Himalayan region.
“Research and Innovation needs to find solutions for societal and local problems,” he said. In the context of enhancing productivity of saffron and other local horticultural produce, he emphasized on developing appropriate technology solutions for precision agriculture and water management by using state of the art technologies like IoT and Machine Learning.
“This collaboration would provide a launching pad for professionals and students to promote innovation and entrepreneurship development in the region,” he added.