Sets roadmap to become India’s first global agricultural university, 250+ IPRs and H-index by 2030
Srinagar, Sept 10: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has set an ambitious roadmap to transition from a national to a globally recognised agricultural university by 2030, with targets including greater international and inter-state student diversity, expanded research and innovation, and stronger faculty diversity.
The roadmap was discussed at the 46th meeting of the University’s Academic Council held on Wednesday at the Vice-Chancellor’s Conference Hall, Main Campus, Shalimar.
Chairing the meeting, Vice-Chancellor and Academic Council Chairperson Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the University had achieved the goal set in 2022 of moving from “Local to National” and was now repositioning its goalpost from “National to Global”.
He identified six key pillars for the next phase of transformation: student diversity, faculty diversity, curriculum transformation, research and innovation, world-class infrastructure and financial sustainability.
Among the targets set for 2030 are increasing international student enrolment to 5 per cent and the share of students from other States and Union Territories to 35 per cent. The University also aims to expand its intellectual property rights (IPR) portfolio to more than 250 and take its H-index to 250 or above.
The University plans to strengthen faculty diversity by attracting more than 50 faculty members from outside Jammu & Kashmir, including Professors of Practice and Adjunct Faculty.
Focus on mountain agriculture
Prof Ganai also stressed the need for a sustainable mountain development policy in view of changing global climatic conditions and growing challenges facing mountain ecosystems.
He said SKUAST-K should contribute its expertise towards developing sustainable and climate-resilient approaches for mountain agriculture and development.
He expressed gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar, Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for their continued support and guidance to the University.
Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, Higher Education Department, J&K, Ram Niwas, who attended the meeting as special guest, acknowledged SKUAST-K’s transition towards a global vision.
He said the University had demonstrated how an agricultural university could take on a larger role in the higher education landscape.
Niwas said the proposed Centre for Faculty Training and Pedagogy at SKUAST-K had the potential to serve as a model for universities across the country.
He also suggested the creation of an Indian Teachers Service on the lines of national services such as the IAS, IFS and IES to strengthen academic capacity-building across the country.
He further suggested that universities should prepare predefined five- or ten-year action plans with clear goals and measurable outcomes to provide a structured roadmap for institutional development and long-term transformation.
Academic reforms, research highlighted
Earlier, Director Education, SKUAST-K, Prof Mohd Altaf Bhat, delivered the welcome address. Registrar and Member Secretary, Academic Council, Prof Azmat Alam Khan, presented the University Progress Report, followed by the agenda and Action Taken Report of the previous Academic Council meeting.
The Council also released a revised uniform format for postgraduate theses prepared by Dr Heena Hamdani. The format is intended to bring greater uniformity and standardisation to thesis preparation and submission at the University.
A Ph.D. thesis by Agricultural Engineering student Er. Riyaz Ashraf was also displayed as a model for other research scholars, particularly for its additional chapter focusing on research outcomes.
The meeting was attended by members of the Academic Council, representatives of sister universities and institutions, and officers and heads of various divisions of SKUAST-K.
Umer Ibni Assad, Deputy Registrar (Academics), proposed the vote of thanks.
