Srinagar: University of Kashmir must strive hard and take appropriate steps to secure the status of ‘University with Potential for Excellence’ as it would ultimately pave way for more collaborative research, better funding and better opportunity for students and researchers.
This was stated by Vice- Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Talat Ahmad while chairing a high level meeting to review the performance of University Post NAAC accreditation and Post NIRF Rankings 2020.
The meeting was aimed at focusing on sustaining the strengths of the varsity and finding ways to work upon and improve its weaknesses.
Prof Talat said that KU has the Potential of translating some of the existing interdisciplinary Centers into Centers of Excellence depending on locational advantages and scientific expertise.
He stressed upon further augmentation of facilities in some cutting-edge areas of research and said that there is an opportunity for increasing the number of MoUs with national and international institutions of excellence to promote research and extension which can improve research exposure to faculty, scholars and students.
Pertinently University of Kashmir was awarded A+ grade in the recent reaccreditation cycle by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and it also improved five positions in the National Institutional Rankings Framework (NIRF)-2020 and stood at 48th rank amongst the Universities at the country level.
Prof Talat said that there is a scope of improvement in showcasing the strengths and achievements of the University to improve its public perception which can make the University an attractive destination for faculty and scholars
In response to a power point presentation by Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance titled Quality enhancement : a way forward, Vice Chancellor informed the participants of the meeting that UGC assists selected Universities with a vision to achieve excellence in teaching and research by conferring on them the status of ‘Universities with Potential for Excellence (UPE)’.
He said that such institutions are eligible for enhanced funding to augment their academic and research infrastructure and also to evolve innovative approaches towards the teaching-learning process.
Prof . Talat hoped that Varsity treads this path with all enthusiasm and achieves the UPE status for itself in the coming years as envisioned in NAAC recommendations.
Assessment, said Prof Talat is a performance evaluation of an institution and is accomplished through a process based on self-study and peer review using defined criteria and University has performed quite good in most of the parameters of evaluation.
He said that almost all accreditation and ranking agencies stress on Quality initiative, Quality sustenance and quality enhancement and DIQA of the University has to shoulder great responsibility in sustaining and enhancing the quality in education.
“However”, the Vice Chancellor cautioned of being complacent and said that post reaccreditation, the University should leave no stone unturned to maintain and further improve its standards of teaching-learning, research and extension, besides undertake serious efforts for consolidation, expansion and modernization of its resources and infrastructure to make this institution as the first choice of students.
The meeting was attended by the Dean Academic Affairs Prof Akbar Masood , Dean Research , Prof Shakeel A Romshoo , Registrar, Dr Nisar A Mir ,Controller of Examinations Prof Farooq A Mir , Director DIQA Prof Anwaar Hassan, Joint Registrar Budget & Creation Dr Ishfaq A Zari, Director IT & SS , Dr Maroof Qadri , Showkat Shafi , Dy Director Quality Assurance KU, Mujtaba Shafi, Scientist B, Er. Asim IT& SS and other officials from DIQA.

KR Desk