One – Week Faculty Development Programme on Emerging Trends in Teaching and Research inaugurated at JU

Jammu, Feb 10: The School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu, inaugurated a One-Week Faculty Development Programme on “Capacity Building on Emerging Trends in Teaching and Research through Interdisciplinary Approaches”in collaboration with the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre,University of Jammu. 

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Prof. Neelu Rohmetra , Dean, Research Studies, University of Jammu,  as the Chief Guest, who emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary perspectives in strengthening teaching methodologies and advancing impactful research. She highlighted the need for faculty members to adapt to evolving academic paradigms and foster collaborative research ecosystems. She applauded the initiative as a significant step towards fostering academic excellence. Prof. Rohmetra commended the School of Biotechnology for organizing a capacity -building initiative on such contemporary relevance. 

Prof. Yashpal Sharma, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences who was the Guest of Honour shared insightful perspectives on capacity building, innovation in higher education, and the role of faculty development in achieving academic excellence.

Welcoming the guests and participants, Prof. Sanjana Kaul, Director, School of Biotechnology and Convenor of the programme, underlined the objective of the FDP to equip faculty members with contemporary pedagogical tools and promote interdisciplinary research approaches aligned with national and global academic priorities. She expressed her sincere gratitude to Prof. Umesh Rai, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu for his visionary leadership, constant encouragement, and unwavering support, which made this academic initiative possible. She also acknowledged the commitment of Dean, Research Studies, Prof. Neelu Rohmetra for her commitment to advancing research excellence which have played a transformative role in strengthening the research ecosystem of the University of Jammu. Prof. Kaul welcomed the participants and hoped that the programme will upgrade their teaching methodologies, research skills, digital competencies, and leadership capabilities in line with emerging knowledge domains and educational reforms. She reiterated that by investing in faculty development programmes Malaviya  Mission Teachers Training Centres supported by University Grants commission and Rashtriya Uchchater Shiksha Abhiyan (MHRD) initiatives cultivate dynamic institutions with responsive, and future-ready academic workforce capable of driving meaningful learning outcomes and societal impact. 

Prof. Madhulika Bhagat, Coordinator of the FDP, outlined the comprehensive structure of the programme and highlighted its ambitious agenda. She emphasized that the FDP features a distinguished panel of  about 25 experts from premier institutions such as IIT Jammu,  IIM Jammu, AIIMS, and Punjab University, Chandigarh, GNDU, Amritsar, Manipal University, Jaipur, JKUT administrative services etc aiming to equip faculty members with interdisciplinary skills essential for contemporary teaching and research.

The FDP has witnessed an enthusiastic response, with about 35 registered participants from across the University and various colleges and institutions across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, reflecting broad academic interest and commitment to professional development.The week-long programme will feature expert lectures, interactive sessions, and deliberations by eminent academicians and researchers from reputed institutions , focusing on innovative pedagogies, data-driven research and interdisciplinary approaches in science and education. contributing towards capacity building in higher education. 

The first day of the FDP featured insightful sessions by Prof. Prashanth N. Suravajhala, Systems Genomics Lab. Manipal University Jaipur. Dr. Suravajhala delivered two engaging sessions addressing both ethical and technical dimensions of modern research. His lecture on “Ethics of Publishing: The Whys and Whats of Not Using AI,” critically examined the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence in academic publishing and stressed the importance of preserving human intellectual integrity. Later in the day he conducted a technical session on  “Bioinformatics and Systems Genomics for Lessening the Scale of Experimentation,” demonstrating how computational tools can enhance research efficiency while reducing experimental costs.He emphasized that bioinformatics and systems genomics play a transformative role in lessening the scale of experimentation by enabling Data – driven hypothesis generation and in silico validation. This computational – experimental synergy accelerates discovery, promotes ethical research practices , and supports sustainable and precise biological research. Both the talks collectively emphasized ethical research practices, critical scientific reasoning, and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

This was followed by an invited talk by Prof. Yash Pal Sharma,Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Jammu who offered valuable insights into emerging trends in biological research and higher education from an institutional perspective. He elaborated on, ‘Academic symbiosis: Bridging teaching and research,’ wherein he emphasized the essential interdependence between knowledge creation and knowledge  dissemination in higher education. Teaching and research, when meaningfully integrated, enrich each other. This relationship evolves a vibrant academic ecosystem strengthening this bridge towards cultivating innovation, curiosity, and sustainable academic growth. 

The inaugural event was also attended by Prof. Seema Langer, Prof Susheel Verma, Prof. Namrata Sharma, Prof. Jyoti Vakhlu, Prof B.K. Bajaj and  faculty members from departments of Life Sciences. The inaugural session  concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Dr. Ritu Mahajan, Associate professor, School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu who expressed gratitude to University authorities, RUSA, Prof. Sandeep Pandita, Director Malaviya Mission Teachers Training Centre, University of Jammu, Mr. Ranjeet Kalra, Deputy Director MMTTC, distinguished speakers, invited guests and the participants for their invaluable support in making the event a success. Dr Yashpal Khajuria, Dr. Ankit Mahajan, Dr. Sheetal Ambardar, Dr. Bharathiraja Assistant Professors, School of Biotechnology, and the research scholars of the School executed and facilitated the conduct of the event. The proceedings of the  event were efficiently coordinated  by Dr. Mehak Gupta.