CS consults academics, officers to work out the framework
Srinagar, Oct 01: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today held a detailed consultation with Vice Chancellors of Universities and senior functionaries of the Higher Education Department to explore the creation of a Multiversity ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, leveraging the collective academic, research, technological and infrastructural strengths of the region’s universities and premier institutions.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellors of the universities of J&K, Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education Department; Director Colleges, J&K, and other concerned officers.
The consultation focused on developing an institutional framework for greater inter-university collaboration, shared academic resources, multidisciplinary learning, student and faculty mobility, research partnerships and stronger industry linkages, in keeping with the emerging requirements of higher education as per the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Speaking during the deliberations, the Chief Secretary observed that the world is changing rapidly, with technological innovations continuously transforming lifestyles, workplaces and human situations. He noted that while technology is taking over certain conventional jobs, it is simultaneously creating newer and more complex challenges requiring multidisciplinary knowledge and skills.
He further maintained that the future will belong to those who can continuously upgrade their knowledge, acquire multidisciplinary skills and work across institutional and professional boundaries. Moreover he stressed that such capabilities cannot be developed in isolation and require greater networking and collaboration.
He stated that the idea of developing a Multiversity could provide an institutional mechanism for grooming a future-ready generation by bringing together the strengths of different institutions and enabling students to access diverse areas of knowledge.
He particularly emphasised the need to move “from papers to patents”, with a clear roadmap for research, innovation and technology transfer. He directed that the proposed framework should define specific milestones, timelines, institutional responsibilities and measurable outcomes to ensure that the concept translates into tangible action on the ground.
The Chief Secretary called for further working out the concept into a time-bound and outcome-oriented framework, with clearly defined roles for participating institutions and measurable milestones.
He emphasised that the objective should be to create greater opportunities for students and researchers by enabling them to access expertise and facilities available across institutions, while strengthening the overall quality, employability, innovation and research potential of J&K’s higher education ecosystem.