The students enrolled in the Design Your Degree (DYD) program from first and second year at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) undertook a week long educational visit to several academic and research institutions across Kashmir. As part of this immersive learning initiative, the students toured the Sericulture Division at Mirgund under SKUAST-K, the Department of Agricultural Engineering & Technology Division, SKUAST-K, the famous Saffron Fields of Pampore, Kashmir University and the Directorate of Horticulture, Kashmir. They also got the opportunity to participate in the massive Chrysanthemum Festival held at SKUAST Shalimar Campus. These visits provided the students with a first-hand exposure to the region’s agricultural, horticultural, and scientific research landscapes.
During the tour, an interaction and student idea exchange programme was held with DYD students from the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora and the Institute of Technology, University of Kashmir, Zakura Campus. Students from both Universities delivered presentations on their ongoing projects and shared insights about their academic journeys within the Design Your Own Degree framework. The engagement allowed participants to understand diverse approaches to multidisciplinary learning while discussing innovative academic pathways. In addition to the formal sessions, students engaged in vibrant informal discussions with peers from the host Universities, fostering collaboration, peer learning, and the exchange of ideas.
The DYD program at SMVDU is an innovative academic model that empowers students to craft personalized and interdisciplinary learning trajectories. It provides flexibility to choose courses across departments, encourages curiosity-driven exploration, and nurtures creativity and independent thinking. By focusing on experiential learning, field-based exposure, and project-oriented study, the DYD program helps students shape their educational journey around their interests, strengths, and career aspirations. Structured mentorship, academic guidance, and opportunities for collaboration with external institutions make the program a dynamic platform for holistic student development.
The visit was coordinated by Prof. Sharada M. Potukuchi, Nodal Officer for the DYD program, and Dr. Mir Irfan Ul Haq, Associate Professor as Event Coordinator who accompanied the students. The coordinators also expressed their appreciation to Dr. Shahkar Nehvi, and Taha Mughal, DYD, IUST Awantipora; Prof. Syeda Afshana, University of Kashmir; Dr. K.A. Dar, Prof. M.R. Mir, Prof. I.L. Khan, Prof. K.A. Sahaf and Dr. Masarat Bashir, College of Temperate Sericulture, SKUAST; Dr. J.A. Bhat, Deputy Director, Dr. Zaffar Iqbal, Dr. Raffia, Mr. Iqbal Ahmad Wafai, Directorate of Horticulture, Rajbagh & Zawoora, Srinagar; Prof. Rohitashw Kumar, Dean, Agricultural Engineering & Technology; Prof. Haroon Rashid Naik, Director, Research and Dr. Baby Summuna, Assistant Professor, Directorate of Research, SKUAST, Kashmir; for their valuable guidance, encouragement, time and exceptional support that greatly enriched the learning experience during the interactions. The students further extended their gratitude to Prof. Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor, SMVDU, for financially supporting and enabling enriching, interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities to help build the personality and confidence of the DYD students of the University. The visit also helped the students to experience the culture of Kashmir region and towards development of valuable skills, besides gaining significant knowledge by participating in various projects related to societal issues.
