Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi and DR. B. R. Ambedkar University Delhi (Dr. B. R. AUD) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at JMI’s Yasser Arafat Hall with the objective of facilitating mutual cooperation and promotion of academic excellence in both the Institutions. The MoU was signed between Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar, JMI and Col. Omkar Singh (Retd.), Registrar, Dr. B. R. AUD, in the presence of the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of JMI, Prof. Mazhar Asif and Prof. Anu Singh Lather, Hon'ble Vice Chancellor, Dr. B R Ambedkar University.
The overall objective of this collaboration is to provide research opportunities to students and researchers of the two institutions in increasing the effectiveness of teaching and research; jointly organising seminars, conferences and academic workshops on topics of mutual interests; publishing books, monographs, seminar and workshop volumes.
The two universities have agreed to partner with each other with the aim of disseminating knowledge in general; undertake joint research projects and allow joint supervision of research programmes (Ph.D.); organising capacity building programmes; exchanging faculty/ staff and students; exchanging expertise in the revision of existing curricular programs in order to respond to the current demands of industry; jointly organize workshops on Massive Open Online Learning Course (MOOC) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and exchanging of academic resource materials. Besides, the two universities will also work together to organise cultural exchange programmes and sports activities in both institutions.
Prof. Anu Singh Lather, Vice Chancellor, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, expressing tremendous pleasure and optimism at the strategic partnership between the two institutions, noted that her university, which was relatively young when compared to JMI, is guided by the vision of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. “This vision is reflected in our university’s initiatives aimed at promoting equity, social justice, diversity, and inclusion, while also contributing to the community and society”, Prof. Lather said. Stressing on the initiatives on human ecology and environment, she added that the MoU would be instrumental in fostering collaboration between the two universities across several interdisciplinary research areas especially in liberal arts, social sciences and beyond.
Prof Mazhar Asif, VC, JMI, hailing the MoU as a major step towards collaborative academic work between two very important universities in the capital, said, “Just as Baba Saheb is the inspiration behind Dr. Ambedkar University, Jamia Millia Islamia, a 105-year-old institution, was founded by nationalists and freedom fighters under the call and patronage of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, along with Rabindranath Tagore and Dr. Zakir Husain, among others. He noted that both institutions are therefore united in their commitment to uplifting the weakest sections of society, especially, SCs, STs, women, and other marginalized groups. Prof. Asif said that JMI was doing a great service to the nation by giving more than 30 bureaucrats to the country every year. Prof Asif further highlighted that JMI has over the years excelled in the field of Education, Management, Law, Engineering, Indian and foreign languages, as well as several other niche research areas and envisaged high quality joint work in these disciplines. The MoU, he said, “would thus pave the way for meaningful and impactful collaboration between researchers and faculty members of the two universities.”
Prof. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar JMI, said that the collaboration will leverage and synergize academic and research exchange between students and faculty members in the two institutions and prove to be mutually beneficial in the years to come.
Other officials who were a part of the MoU signing from Dr. B. R. Ambedkar University, included Prof. Kartik Dave, Dean, Planning and Shri. Bipul Kr Srivastav, Deputy Registrar, Legal and the PRO, Dr. Aditya Pratap Singh. From JMI, the following officials attended the MoU signing function: Prof Zubair Meenai, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof Tanuja, Dean, Academic Affairs, Prof Kafeel Ahmed, Dean, Research, Prof Ushvinder K. Popli, Dean, International Relations, and Prof Saima Saeed, Foreign Students’ Advisor and Chief Public Relations Officer. Prof Zubair Meenai, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, played a pivotal role in the drafting of the MoU and coordinating its signing.
