The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) inaugurated a two-day Training and Capacity Building Workshop on the “University Safety Programme”. The workshop is being jointly organised by the Office of Dean Outreach, Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR), Office of the Proctor, and National Service Scheme (NSS) in collaboration with the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, Government of Jammu and Kashmir.
The workshop aims to enhance the preparedness and response capacity of the university community, particularly proctorial staff and NSS volunteers, enabling them to act as first responders during emergencies and disaster situations on campus.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakil A. Romshoo, who inaugurated the workshop, emphasised the importance of preparedness and institutional resilience in educational institutions. He said that universities must build internal capacities to respond effectively to emergencies, and that equipping students and staff with basic response and life-saving skills can play a crucial role in safeguarding lives and property.
Welcoming the participants, Dr. Irfan Maqbool Bhat, Coordinator CDRR, highlighted the university’s ongoing disaster preparedness initiatives. Dr. Ruheela Hassan, Dean Outreach, said the university, through a series of such programmes, is working to build the capacities of different community stakeholders. The programme was moderated by Dr. Aijaz Qureshi, Assistant Registrar, Outreach, while Dr. Waseem Qader, CDRR, proposed the vote of thanks.
More than sixty participants are attending the workshop. On the first day, technical sessions on Basic Life-Saving Skills and First Aid were conducted by Dr. Itinder Pal Bali, National Level Trainer with the Indian Red Cross Society, and Dr. Shalinder Kour. Tomorrow, trainers from Fire and Emergency Services, Srinagar, will conduct sessions on fire safety, prevention, and emergency response, along with practical demonstrations.
