Haryana: Manav Rachna, Kurukshetra, SVSU sign agreement for joint research and academic collaboration

Haryana educational institutes Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS), Kurukshetra University and Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU) have signed an agreement to strengthen collaboration in higher education through joint research, innovation and academic resource sharing.

According to the press release, the partnership is the first initiative of its kind in Haryana to bring together three leading public and private universities under a common framework for research, knowledge exchange and academic cooperation.

The collaboration will enable the universities to undertake joint research projects, faculty development programmes, conferences, workshops and scholarly publications. The institutions will also share laboratories and other academic resources while working together on technology development and national as well as international research funding opportunities.

NEP 2020-aligned research, credit mobility

The agreement also provides for joint supervision of undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral research, curriculum enrichment and academic benchmarking. Students and faculty members are expected to benefit from multidisciplinary learning opportunities, credit mobility and academic initiatives aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

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Speaking on the collaboration, Sanjay Srivastava, Vice Chancellor of MRIIRS, said, “Universities are at their best when they learn from one another. Bringing together different academic strengths will encourage interdisciplinary learning, strengthen research and create wider academic opportunities for students and faculty while preparing students for a world where complex challenges call for collaborative solutions."

Joint committee to drive collaboration

To implement the agreements, the three institutions will establish a Joint Coordination Committee to identify joint activities, review progress and prepare action plans. Under the collaboration with SVSU, the universities will also explore academic mobility through the Academic Bank of Credits framework and the proposed MA in Public Policy programme.

Meenakshi S. Khurana, Executive Director and Dean, International Affairs and Collaborations at MRIIRS, said, “Each institution brings distinct strengths to this collaboration. Bringing together complementary expertise in academics, skill-based education and industry engagement will create wider opportunities for collaborative teaching, research and student development while strengthening long-term academic engagement across the participating universities."

Furthermore, Monika Goel, Executive Director and Dean (Academics), MRIIRS, said, "These partnerships will enrich teaching and research through joint curriculum development, research supervision, scholarly publications and faculty development initiatives, strengthening the academic environment and enriching students' learning experiences.”

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The agreement was signed during a lecture series and an agreement exchange ceremony held at Kurukshetra University. The event brought together academic leaders from the participating institutions for discussions on collaboration in higher education.

During the programme, Srivastava delivered a lecture titled "Timeless Wisdom from Gita & Art of Leadership". Referring to the Bhagavad Gita and its connection with Kurukshetra, he spoke on nine attributes of effective leadership and highlighted the importance of character, responsible leadership and Indian knowledge traditions in institution building and nation development.