Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Talat Ahmad chaired a meeting to review the blueprint of the state-of-the-art IT Innovation Park proposed to be set-up at the varsity’s Directorate of Information Technology and Support System.
The four-storeyed park is aimed to create a technology platform for enabling innovative start-ups to develop software-based applications, products and solutions to address not just local and national needs but those with global perspective too.
Addressing IT professionals and officers on the occasion, Prof Talat said the IT Innovation Park is targeted to support and nurture around 50 start-ups (physical and virtual) per-year, with incubation facilities, over a period of five years while enabling research scholars and students of the Directorate of IT&SS to undertake specialization in Cloud Services, Data Mining and Artificial Intelligence.
Pertinently, the varsity’s Directorate of IT and SS had submitted a DPR in 2019-2020 for various IT initiatives in the University for funding under the CAPEX grant of the Higher Education Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, following which the Innovation Park was approved to be set-up after several rounds of presentations and deliberations.
Prof Talat and KU Registrar Dr. Nisar A Mir thanked the Jammu and Kashmir government, especially Higher Education and Finance Departments, for their full support to several new development projects in the university, including the Innovation Park. The VC also reviewed the blueprint of a proposed state-of-the-art 300-bed research scholars’ hostel coming up at Zakura Campus.
To be built on a sprawling 42000 sq-ft area, the proposed Innovation Park will have state-of-the-art facilities, including Software Development Labs equipped with modern hardware and super specialized labs of AI and Database Management System, Cloud Services and Data Analytics.
Hailing the Directorate of IT and SS, Dean Academic Affairs Prof ShabirABhat said the project has been conceived keeping in view the current and future requirements in key areas of Information Technology.
Registrar DrNisar A Mir thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his constant mentorship in the execution of various development projects.
The meeting, among others, was attended by Special Secretary to Vice-Chancellor DrTanveer A Shah, Joint Registrar Development Inam-ul-Rauf Malik, Executive Engineer University Construction Division Bilal MasoodShayik, Consultant Architect Er Tariq Fazili, Assistant Engineer UCD TatheerManzoor and a team of IT professionals from the Directorate of IT and SS.
Earlier, In-Charge Director IT and SS DrMaroofNaeemQadri gave a presentation about the project, which, he said, will also enable interaction with the representatives of several industries to identify the thrust areas of ICT support, including in Handicrafts, Horticulture, Tourism and Education.
