Awantipora, April 17; The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for Good Governance (CGG), Hyderabad, marking a significant step towards strengthening collaboration in the areas of good governance, public policy, and institutional capacity building.
The MoU was formally exchanged by the Registrar, IUST, on behalf of the University, and Shri Ravi Gupta, IPS, Director General, CGG Hyderabad, in the presence of Advisory Committee members of the Centre for Good Governance and Policy Analysis, IUST, and senior officials of the CCG, Hyderabad. The collaboration aims to establish a robust framework for joint research, policy advisory, digital governance initiatives, and capacity building programmes, with a particular focus on addressing governance and development challenges in Jammu & Kashmir and other neighbouring regions.
Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chancellor, IUST Prof. Shakil A Romshoo emphasized that the partnership would enable the University to play a more proactive role in evidence- based policymaking and governance innovation, while strengthening its engagement with government institutions. He noted that the collaboration aligns with IUST’s vision of contributing to knowledge-driven development and public policy reform and the MoU is expected to significantly strengthen IUST’s newly established Centre for Good Governance and Policy Analysis, positioning it as a key hub for policy research, governance innovation, and capacity building in the region.
Dr. Shabbeer Sheikh, Director, Governance at CGG Hyderabad, highlighted CGG’s extensive experience in governance advisory and digital transformation, and expressed confidence that the partnership with IUST would facilitate context-specific policy solutions and capacity- building initiatives, particularly in emerging areas such as data-driven governance and e- governance systems.
Under the MoU, both institutions will collaborate on a wide range of activities, including policy research and advisory services, monitoring and evaluation of government programmes, development of governance indices, and implementation of digital governance solutions. The partnership will also support training programmes for government officials, academic exchanges, and field-based pilot projects in Jammu & Kashmir. A Joint Working Group will be constituted to oversee the implementation of collaborative initiatives and to identify priority areas for engagement. This MoU is expected to significantly strengthen IUST’s newly established Centre for Good Governance and Policy Analysis, positioning it as a key hub for policy research, governance innovation, and capacity building in the region.