The Government College for Women (GCW), M.A. Road, Srinagar, today inaugurated a week-long Faculty Development Programme (FDP) titled ‘Emerging Research Trends in Science’, aimed at enhancing research acumen among college faculty.
The inaugural session was held at the college auditorium and was graced by Director Colleges, Prof. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, as Chief Guest. Other dignitaries present included Prof. Seema Naz, Nodal Principal (Kashmir) and Dean Academic Affairs, Cluster University Srinagar (CUS); Prof. Wilayat Hussain Rizvi, Registrar CUS; Prof. Aijaz Ahmed Hakak, Principal Amar Singh College; and Prof. Mudasir Afshan, Principal AAAM College, Bemina.
In his keynote address, Prof. Ajaz Bashir emphasized the importance of faculty ownership and student engagement in higher education. “Be present in colleges not for biometric attendance, but to mentor students meaningfully,” he urged. He also highlighted the upcoming launch of an online placement portal for fast-tracking faculty career progression.
Prof. Seema Naz spoke about the challenges and opportunities presented by the fourth year of the undergraduate programme under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly in terms of research integration. She called the FDP a timely platform for faculty to upskill for the upcoming academic shift.
Welcoming the participants, Principal Prof. Yasmeen Farooq noted the need for staying abreast with interdisciplinary research advancements. She praised the FDP for offering a space for learning, innovation, and networking.
Prof. Majida Maqbool, Course Coordinator and HoD Chemistry, presented the concept note. The FDP will cover topics such as AI & ML in society, biotechnology advances, nanotechnology, and sustainable environmental research, across two daily sessions and panel discussions.
During the event, several achievements were celebrated:
The electronic Coffee Table Book of the college was launched by the Director Colleges.
A book titled "Machine Learning & Cybersecurity (AI for Threat Detection & Prevention)", authored by Prof. Rashid Ashraf Malik and Dr. Asif Iqbal Kawoosa, was also released.
Dr. Momina Nazir (Chemistry) and Dr. Parsa Sarosh (Electronics) were felicitated for securing patents in nano fungicidal compositions and adaptive vehicle headlight control systems, respectively.
The FDP is expected to provide valuable insights and build capacity among science faculty in the region, aligning institutional efforts with modern research trends and NEP-2020 directives.