SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 1: The Jammu & Kashmir Government has begun consultations on developing a “Multiversity” ecosystem that would bring universities and premier educational institutions into a more closely connected academic and research framework.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo held a consultation on Wednesday with Vice Chancellors of universities in J&K and senior officials of the Higher Education Department to examine the proposed framework.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellors of universities in J&K, Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Ram Niwas Sharma, Director Colleges Dr Twinkle Suri and other officials.
The proposed model would focus on inter-university collaboration, sharing of academic and research resources, multidisciplinary education, student and faculty mobility, research partnerships and stronger links with industry and the public sector.
The initiative is being considered in the context of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which provides for greater flexibility, multidisciplinary learning and credit mobility in higher education.
Focus on shared resources and mobility
During the meeting, Dulloo said rapid technological changes were altering workplaces and creating demand for multidisciplinary skills.
He said the proposed Multiversity could provide a mechanism for students to access expertise and facilities available across different institutions rather than depending solely on the resources of their parent institution.
Dulloo also stressed the need to develop a concrete roadmap for research, innovation and technology transfer, including the transition “from papers to patents”.
He directed officials to define milestones, timelines, institutional responsibilities and measurable outcomes for the proposed framework.
IUST presents proposed model
Vice Chancellor of Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, made a presentation on the concept and its possible application in J&K.
He said the region has a diverse higher education network comprising universities, AIIMS, SKIMS, IIT, IIM, agricultural and technical institutions and a large number of colleges.
According to the presentation, these institutions could share infrastructure, expertise and academic resources without necessarily creating duplicate facilities.
The proposed architecture could include shared courses and laboratories, interdisciplinary learning, student and faculty exchanges, internships and apprenticeships, industry linkages and common research initiatives.
The presentation also proposed identifying anchor institutions and developing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor implementation.
VCs suggest credit transfer, industry links
University of Kashmir Vice Chancellor Prof Neelofar Khan said institutions in J&K had undertaken inter-institutional collaborations in the past, although on a limited scale. She emphasised strengthening skill development and industry-academia linkages.
University of Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai referred to provisions of NEP 2020 and suggested mechanisms for seamless transfer and recognition of academic credits. He specifically referred to MOOCs and the Academic Bank of Credits.
Cluster University of Srinagar Vice Chancellor Prof Mohammad Mobin suggested drawing on the experience of the existing Cluster University model while addressing challenges encountered in its implementation.
Cluster University of Jammu Vice Chancellor Prof K. S. Chandrasekar also referred to the Cluster Universities as an existing collaborative model and suggested exploring additional academic and institutional linkages.
SMVDU Vice Chancellor Prof Pragati Kumar highlighted the Government of India’s I-STEM platform, which facilitates access to high-end research equipment and scientific resources, and called for examining financial mechanisms to support faculty and student mobility.
Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Vice Chancellor Prof Jawaid Iqbal described the two Cluster Universities as “mini-Multiversities” and suggested expanding the concept through online, offline and hybrid modes.
Anchor institution proposed
Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Ram Niwas Sharma said some private universities in the country had established arrangements for sharing faculty, students and resources across institutions.
He suggested that an institution could potentially be identified as a Special Purpose Vehicle or anchor institution to coordinate the initiative, initially focusing on a selected group of courses.
Director Colleges J&K Dr Twinkle Suri stressed that equity of access would need to be considered while designing the model. She also pointed to the existing network of universities, technical institutions and colleges in J&K as a base for the initiative.
The consultation also examined possible anchor institutions, initial courses, shared laboratories and other facilities, credit transfer, research collaboration, industry partnerships, internships, apprenticeships, financing arrangements and institutional responsibilities.
The Chief Secretary directed that the concept be developed further into a time-bound framework with clearly defined responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
The government said the proposed model is intended to expand students’ and researchers’ access to expertise and infrastructure across institutions while strengthening higher education, employability, research and innovation in J&K.
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