Srinagar, May 19: Professor Nilofar Khan took over as the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir on Friday.
A distinguished academician and administrator, Prof Nilofar has a teaching experience of more than 30 years and has served the Kashmir University’s corporate life in several important academic and administrative capacities, including Dean College Development Council, Registrar, Dean Faculty of Applied Science and Technology and Director Institute of Home Sciences. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman Dean Students Welfare of the University and Founder Director, Centre for Women’s Studies and Research.
Prof Nilofar has been a member of various important decision-making bodies of the University, including the University Council, University Syndicate (KU), University Syndicate (Jammu University), Academic Council, Finance Committee. She has also been chairperson of Students’ Grievance Committee KU and Co-Presiding Officer of Internal Compliance Committee of Central University of Kashmir, and Chairperson Internal Complaints Committee KU.
Having visited a number of countries abroad, Prof Nilofar has a vast exposure in the fields of academics and administration. In 2003, she visited several universities in the USA to study academics and the examination system under an international visitors’ programme. She has also visited a number of universities and colleges in Australia, Malaysia, Sudan and UAE. Prof Nilofar has also supervised more than 20 PhD scholars, 09 M.Phil scholars while her publications have figured in several journals of national and international repute.
Prof Nilofar took the charge of VC from Prof Talat Ahmad after a contingent of university police presented her a ceremonial guard of honour in the premises of the New Administration Block.
Soon after taking charge, Prof Nilofar thanked the Chancellor Manoj Sinha for giving her an opportunity to serve the KU as its first woman Vice-Chancellor.
She said the welfare of the student community and implementation of NEP-2020 would be amongst her topmost priorities. “The doors of my office will always be open for our students and research scholars. I shall be frequently interacting and engaging with them to address their needs and requirements vis-à-vis academics and research,” she said.
The Vice-Chancellor said all key stakeholders in the University system—faculty, officers, non-teaching staff and students—will have to play a collective role to further boost academics and research in the University with their sustained focus on academic endeavors.
This, she said, will help the varsity to further improve upon its NAAC and NIRF rankings and also in developing University’s linkages with reputed institutions in the country and abroad.
“The implementation of the new National Education Policy-2020 (NEP) in our University and its affiliated colleges will be my another key area of focus and concentration, alongside exploring all areas where we can focus on tie-ups with reputed international institutions, in line with the new guidelines of the University Grants Commission,” Prof Nilofar said, and sought an active cooperation of all stakeholders in realizing these objectives in a time-bound manner.
She said while all academic disciplines will get equal attention, special emphasis shall be laid on gender studies, innovations, incubation and skill development to secure the future prospects of our youth from J&K UT.
“We will also further develop and strengthen our satellite campuses in the larger interest of students from far-off areas,” Prof Nilofar said.