KU signs MoU with Voluntary Medicare Society

Srinagar, Oct 18: The University of Kashmir (KU) convened the first meeting of its newly constituted Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), marking a significant step toward strengthening inclusivity on campus.

The meeting, chaired by Vice-Chancellor KU Prof. Nilofer Khan, was attended by Registrar Prof. Naseer Iqbal, Dean Students’ Welfare Prof. Pervez Ahmed, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Maqbool, President, Voluntary Medicare Society (VMS); Prof. Masooda Yaseen, Vice President, VMS; Prof. Shazia Manzoor, Head, Department of Social Work KU; Prof. Amina Parveen, Head, Department of Education KU; and representatives of students and parents of PwDs.

A key highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Kashmir and the Voluntary Medicare Society (VMS).

The agreement envisions skill-based workshops and training programmes for persons with disabilities, with a focus on enhancing human resources, improving infrastructure accessibility, providing technical support, and exploring the introduction of a Bachelor’s Programme in Special Education through the University’s academic bodies.

On the sidelines of the meeting, a two-day training workshop on “Beyond Barriers: Reading and Learning with Assistive Tools and Technologies” was organised by the Allama Iqbal Library (AIL) in collaboration with the Special Cell under the aegis of the Department of Students’ Welfare (DSW), KU.

The workshop aimed to promote inclusive education by sensitising participants to assistive tools and technologies that facilitate effective learning for persons with disabilities (PwDs).