Srinagar, Mar 12: The Higher Education Department (HED), in collaboration with IIM-Ahmedabad and NTPC School of Business organised a one-day ‘Brain storming session’ with stakeholders on ‘capacity building initiatives’ at Islamia College of Science & Commerce (ICSC) here today.

The discussion was held on Faculty Skill Development, Directors and Principals' Workshop, Career Counselling, Research Area Collaborations, Pilot Projects, Summer School, Developing Innovative Managers, Apprenticeship Training and Ensuring Quality Education.

Commissioner Secretary HED, Talat Parvez Rohella; VC, IUST, Mushtaq A Siddiqi; Director Colleges, M Y Peerzada; Dean Academics KU, Shabir A Bhat; Professor IIM Ahmedabad, Sunil Maheshwari; Dean Engineering, IUST, A H Moon; Director General, NSB, Griesh Tripathi; Dean NSB, Ambika Prasad Dash; Principles of various degree colleges and professors were present during the session.

Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Secretary, said: “We are finding ways and means to establish innovative and skill development courses for capacity building of students and create employability avenues for them. Several initiatives have been taken to invite research and ideas from students for start-ups.”

Talat Parvez further said that the objective was to harness the potential of the students “to tap the green energy potential and alternate energy sources of J&K in addition to the different management subjects.” 

He said: “There is a basket of initiatives available with the prestigious institutions like IIM Ahmedabad and NTPC to guide capacity and strength building of our education institutions.”

VC, IUST while speaking on the need for new industry oriented courses, said that IUST can be the laboratory which would be accessible to all the colleges. He said experts from outside shall partner with the university and colleges for “enhancing the capacity in higher education institutions.”

The VC further said: “Thought process has been initiated to shift the paradigm of education. Various courses which were highly job oriented a decade before have become obsolete now.” He stressed to create a new setup which he said “will be a game changer and help to overcome the market challenges ahead.”

On the occasion, principals of different colleges of J&K suggested various courses and incubation centres that they want to introduce in their respective colleges “to equip students for Industrial requirement and local demands.”

The speakers suggested that industrial exposure for faculty of colleges was the need of the hour “as it will impact the teaching and learning process besides integrating skill with academics.”

The guest speakers from IIM and NTPC shared their experience and ideas regarding new courses with the principals and assured them all the possible support. They said that they would collaborate with the higher education department to help students in the career building for the corporate sector.

Later, the guests were presented with mementos while the students who have been selected for their innovative ideas in hardware and software categories were given cash prizes on the occasion.