Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan on Thursday said that it’s among her administration’s foremost priorities to work towards improving the University’s ranking in the next assessment by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
Addressing as chief guest the inaugural session of a one-day workshop for Nodal Officers of the Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance (DIQA), Prof Nilofer said the varsity’s next NAAC re-accreditation is due in 2024 and it is “our collective responsibility to see that the University improves in its ranking” to make a greater mark on the country’s academic landscape.
“Our focus should be to improve from A to A . Our accreditation largely depends on the data that is provided by nodal officers to DIQA. We have to ensure that this data is submitted in time and is also accurate. The role of nodal officers is therefore important,” she said, adding that the University is already on a job to plug a few “grey areas” that impede the University’s ranking in NAAC and NIRF with appropriate interventions and active cooperation of all concerned stakeholders.
Assuring her administration’s full support to DIQA, which had organised today's workshop, the Vice-Chancellor called for avoiding any mismatch or duplication of data submitted to the ranking agencies in the larger interest of the institution's image and standing.
Prof Nilofer also had a preview of the new online ‘common format’ for data submission prepared jointly by DIQA and the Directorate of IT and SS.
Registrar Dr Nisar A Mir said it is important for all stakeholders to be careful regarding submission of data as the same concerns the institution’s credibility and reputation. He hoped that difficulties, if any, faced by nodal officers previously with regard to data submission would be overcome with the introduction of the modified common format portal.
Director DIQA Prof Manzoor A Shah said the University is at a “critical juncture” transitioning to a new cycle of NAAC assessment and it is imperative that “we prepare ourselves to meet the new challenges well in advance to achieve the desired goals”.
Deputy Director DIQA Mr Showket Shafi gave the introductory remarks about the workshop, while Mr Wasim Hussain presented a vote of thanks. Er Asim Banday introduced the modified version of the ‘Common Format’.
Later, certificates of participation were distributed by Director DIQA and Director IT and SS Dr Maroof Qadri among the nodal officers.