Srinagar: A three-week international-level workshop on interdisciplinary research methodology started at the University of Kashmir on Monday.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Talat Ahmad inaugurated the online workshop, organised by the varsity’s Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies (SHIIS).
Stressing on the need for promoting interdisciplinary research in academic institutions, Prof Talat said the flagship National Education Policy-2020 lays great emphasis on interdisciplinary research and young researchers therefore need to gear up to meet its objectives.
“The interdisciplinary research leads to a confluence of ideas and helps evolve strategies to address some of the pressing challenges in the society in a holistic manner,” he said.
The Vice-Chancellor said young researchers should focus on “critical” problems and try to seek answers using methodologies which are appropriate to their research objectives. He congratulated SHIIS for organising the workshop which will help the present and future research scholars to learn the appropriate research methodologies and their significance.
Dean of Research at KU Prof Shakil Ahmad Romshoo, who was a guest of honour, said interdisciplinary research is the order of the day in academic institutions across the world.
“In the NEP-2020 there is a greater focus on social science research in view of its significance to address a host of pressing societal problems. In fact, it is one of the prime mandates of universities to find solutions to such problems,” he said, underlining that use of appropriate research methodologies would lead to better research outcomes while raising the standard of research conducted in academic institutions.
In his keynote address, Prof Durmus Ali Arsalan, Professor of Sociology at Mersin University Turkey spoke at length on the need for interdisciplinary research to make researchers more sound and their research original in nature.
He referred to various interdisciplinary research techniques and how these could be helpful for young researchers.
“Interdisciplinary research also enables scholars from a particular institution to visit other institutions and gain from the expertise and resources there,” he said.
In his welcome address, Head, SHIIS Prof Manzoor Ahmad Bhat spoke about the relevance and significance of Islamic Studies discipline in the contemporary times.
“This discipline has the potential to inculcate and promote universal ethical values like brotherhood, fellow feeling, tolerance, composite culture, deep humanism, peaceful co-existence, accommodative spirit and above all the pluralistic outlook of the society,” he said.
Dr Nasir Nabi, Assistant Professor SHIIS presented a vote of thanks and also conducted proceedings of the inaugural session, which, among others, was attended by a galaxy of eminent academics and scholars. More than 200 research scholars and Assistant Professors from different colleges and universities in the country, from varied disciplines, have registered themselves for the workshop, even as invited resource persons are from different fields of study from academic institutions from within the country and abroad, including Malaysia and Turkey.
