VC inaugurates ICSSR-funded research training program at UoL, Kargil Campus

KARGIL: Vice Chancellor of the University of Ladakh, Prof. (Dr.) Saket Kushwaha, on Wednesday inaugurated a two-week Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR)-sponsored Capacity Building Programme at the University’s Kargil Campus, aimed at enhancing research competencies through the integration of contemporary methodologies and the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The programme, titled “Research Design, Analytical Methods, and Academic Writing in Social Sciences Using Artificial Intelligence: Interfacing AYUSH, Health and Development Research,” will run from July 15 to 28 and is designed for faculty members, research scholars and academicians.

Addressing the inaugural session, Prof. Kushwaha underscored the importance of fostering a strong research culture grounded in critical inquiry, extensive reading and quality academic publishing. He urged participants to identify socially relevant research problems and make effective use of faculty development and capacity-building initiatives to strengthen academic research.

The inaugural programme was coordinated by Dr. Mehboob Ali, Programme In-charge, in the presence of Prof. Chakraverti Mahajan, keynote speaker; Prof. Vishal Sood, Dean of Student Welfare, Himachal Pradesh University, Dharamshala; and Dr. Jaffar Ali Khan, Co-Patron of the programme.

Welcoming the participants, Dr. Mehboob Ali outlined the objectives of the training and acknowledged the support extended by the ICSSR, the University administration and the invited resource persons.

In his address, Prof. Vishal Sood commended the University of Ladakh for conceptualising a multidisciplinary programme of national relevance. He emphasised that while Artificial Intelligence offers new possibilities for research, its application in the social sciences must remain ethical, responsible and academically rigorous.