SRINAGAR, JUNE 23: As the higher education evolves and goes through major changes at global level the National Education Policy (NEP) Cell in collaboration with Centre for Design Your Degree, University of Kashmir (KU) organized a workshop under its flagship Design Your Degree (DYD) program.
The workshop brought together academic leaders, faculty mentors and NEP core committee experts from across Jammu and Kashmir to co-create a roadmap for the DYD program. Inaugurating the workshop Vice Chancellor KU Prof Nilofer Khan emphasized the significance of DYD as a transformative academic model. “DYD is not just about breaking rigid structures; it is about building academic freedom. Our students must be given the space to dream, design and define their learning paths. This initiative, DYD, is close to my heart since it aligns deeply with the NEP’s call for innovative, student-led education”, she said.
Speaking on the occasion Dean Academic Affairs KU Prof Shariefuddin Pirzada noted, “DYD represents not just a pedagogical shift, but a philosophical one. It encourages students to learn not only from syllabi, but from society, nature and real-world problems. This is education in its most dynamic form.” The workshop aimed to strengthen the academic, practical and curricular dimensions of DYD while retaining its humanistic and flexible core. The workshop brought together mentors and faculty members from all DYD Centres across J&K, facilitating thematic brainstorming sessions on curriculum design, project integration, skill-based learning and interdisciplinary frameworks.
Groups worked collaboratively on creating hands-on models for Semester IV (Bridge Semester) and proposed ideas for Majoring streams from Semester V onward.
During the inaugural session, Registrar KU Prof. Naseer Iqbal reiterated the University’s support for the structural boldness and scalability of DYD.