Jammu, Mar 12: Education and Health Minister Sakeena Itoo on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting of Vice Chancellors of all Jammu and Kashmir universities, directing them to move beyond degree-awarding functions and transform their institutions into research-driven ecosystems aligned with the region’s development needs.
“Universities are engines of innovation, centres of knowledge creation and pillars of societal transformation. They must evolve into vibrant ecosystems where ideas flourish, research thrives, and young minds are empowered to shape the future,” Itoo said.
The meeting reviewed academic functioning, research output, faculty development, infrastructure expansion and student-focused initiatives across all universities in J&K.
The minister urged Vice Chancellors to identify priority research areas aligned with the region’s specific needs — including sustainable development, climate resilience, agricultural innovation, tourism studies, technology integration and social science research relevant to J&K’s socio-economic landscape.
She called for greater interdisciplinary collaboration, stronger industry partnerships and better utilisation of research funding to enhance global academic visibility. Universities were also encouraged to actively promote incubation centres, start-up ecosystems and technology transfer mechanisms to translate research into real-world impact.
Itoo stressed curriculum modernisation, adoption of outcome-based education frameworks, strengthening of digital learning infrastructure and continuous faculty training to keep pace with technological and academic advancements. She urged university administrators to improve student support systems, promote inclusive education and enhance access for students from remote and underserved areas.
The Minister reviewed infrastructure development projects, campus expansion plans, hostel facilities and smart classroom initiatives, stressing the importance of transparent governance and optimal resource utilisation. She directed universities to establish structured monitoring mechanisms to track research and innovation outcomes.
“Our goal is to position Jammu and Kashmir as a hub of quality higher education and research excellence. By empowering our universities, the government is investing in the intellectual capital that will drive sustainable growth and social progress,” she said.
Registrars presented institutional progress reports and outlined future academic and research roadmaps during the meeting.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chancellor University of Jammu Prof Umesh Rai; Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan; Vice Chancellor Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University Prof Pragati Kumar; Vice Chancellor Islamic University of Science and Technology Prof Shakeel Ahmad Ramshoo; Vice Chancellor Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University Prof Jawaid Iqbal; Vice Chancellor Cluster University Jammu Dr K.S. Chandrashekar; Vice Chancellor Cluster University Srinagar Prof Mohammad Mobin; Dean Research Jammu University; Registrars and senior officials of the Higher Education Department.
