Srinagar: The Centre for Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) at the Kashmir University’s Institute of Technology on Wednesday organised an Innovation Exhibition-Cum-Innovators Meet, a mega event that brought young and experienced innovators on a single platform.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan inaugurated the day-long programme, organised in collaboration with National Innovation Foundation (NIF) India.
Addressing students and officers on the occassion, Prof Nilofer said the University of Kashmir has set itself on the path of creating a robust innovation ecosystem that actively contributes to J&K’s economic growth trajectory.
She said young students who exhibited their innovations need further handholding and mentoring by experts to lead them towards initiating their start-ups.
“We want to create an enabling environment to develop the innovation and incubation culture in the University that benefits our young students to transform their ideas into innovations and startups,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
The number of awards secured for innovations, startups incubated and patents secured form an important aspect of the University’s NAAC assessment and NIRF ranking for which the entire university fraternity will have to work with greater zeal to further boost the varsity’s ranking and visibility, she said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor inspected each innovation undertaken by CIIE as well as the NIF Cell.
Chairman CIIE and Director IOT Zakura Prof Gowhar Bashir Vakil delivered the welcome address highlighting the importance of the event.
“CIIE, established in 2021, envisions to empower and encourage students to become potential innovators and job-givers,” Prof Vakil said.
The CIIE-NIF also gave a joint power-point presentation highlighting their works, and programmes in the pipeline.
Ms Nasia Naqash, Liaison Officer IOT Zakura conducted proceedings of the inaugural session, which, among others, was attended by senior KU administrators and academics including Dean School of Engineering Prof Muzaffar Andrabi, Dean Students Welfare Prof Aneesa Shafi, Controller of Examinations Dr Majid Zaman, Media Advisor and Director EMRC Dr Salema Jan, Director Admissions Prof Farooq A Mir, HOD Environmental Science Prof Fayaz Ahmad, besides faculty, students and officials of IOT, CIIE and NIF.