Srinagar: Kashmir University Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan on Sunday called for an active inter-institutional collaboration for optimal use of the sophisticated scientific equipment by students and research scholars across institutions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the valedictory session of a seven-day ‘Synergistic Training program Utilizing the Scientific and Technological Infrastructure’ (STUTI) , the Vice-Chancellor said the training programmes like these can go a long way in helping researchers to address the challenge of optimal utilisation of laboratory assets.
“We are in the era of interdisciplinary research and education. Duplication of scientific equipment in different institutions within the same place could be averted by the collaborative use of such equipment. This in turn can help save lots of financial resources especially when equipments are highly costly and sophisticated,” she said.
Expressing her satisfaction at the successful conduct of the training programme, based on the feedback of the participants and the collaborating institution,
Prof Nilofer hoped that the learnings that the participants had will be useful to them in their research and academic endeavours in future within and beyond the classrooms.
The STUTI programme was organised by the Department of Physics University of Kashmir in collaboration with Shivaji University, Kolhapur. It was sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Director NIT Srinagar Dr Rakesh Sehgal, who was a guest of honour, said such workshops can help students to undertake better handling of the equipments and also understand the importance of their maintenance and protection. It also instills a lot of confidence in the students when they are taught equipment handing by senior professors, he said, hoping that more such programmes would be held in future for the benefit of students, research scholars and students.
Prof R G Sonkawade from Shivaji University also spoke on the occasion and expressed his satisfaction at the successful conduct of the training programme, especially demonstration of highly-sophesticated equipment by 26 resource persons during various technical sessions.
40 participants from within and outside the J&K UT joined the training programme.
Head, Department of Physics Prof Basharat A Want delivered the welcome address, while Prof Farooq A Mir, STUTI Programme Convener, presented a vote of thanks.
Dr G N Dar gave a brief report about the workshop sessions, while Dr Wasim Bari conducted proceedings of the valedictory session, which was attended by students and academics from KU, including
Prof Gowhar Bashir, Dean Faculty of Engineering and Director IOT Zakura.

KR Desk