OnlyKashmir.in News Desk
Awantipora, August 10: The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) has launched a Centralised Outreach and Community Engagement Programme, Rabt-u-Nisbat (ربط و نسبت), aimed at strengthening the university’s engagement with communities and extending its academic, research and innovation resources to a wider section of society.
Launched with the approval of Vice Chancellor, the initiative will be coordinated by the Dean Outreach Office and will bring various outreach and community engagement activities of IUST under a common institutional framework.
Under the programme, Schools, Departments, Centres, Offices and Constituent Colleges of the university will work collectively to expand engagement with schools, colleges and communities, particularly those located in rural, remote and underserved areas.
The initiative will facilitate academic interactions, career counselling, skill development programmes, science and technology outreach, training, research collaborations and entrepreneurship activities based on the needs of communities and partner institutions.
IUST said the programme will also provide external stakeholders with greater access to its academic and research infrastructure. Activities will include laboratory visits, expert interactions, demonstrations, workshops and other knowledge-sharing initiatives.
The programme has been aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on encouraging collaboration between IUST and schools, higher education institutions, government departments, industries, NGOs, alumni and community organisations.
The Dean Outreach Office will function as the nodal point for institutional outreach activities, facilitating coordination among different university units, strengthening existing partnerships and helping establish new collaborations.
Through Rabt-u-Nisbat, IUST aims to make its engagement with society more structured, sustained and mutually beneficial. The university said the initiative will contribute towards educational, scientific, economic and social development across Jammu and Kashmir while creating stronger links between academic institutions and the communities they serve.
