Students from the School of Mathematics at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra participated in an educational tour to Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla. The purpose of the visit was to give students academic exposure, enable interaction with faculty members, and allow them to explore the advanced academic infrastructure available at the university. During the visit to the Department of Mathematics at Himachal Pradesh University, the students and faculty members of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University had the opportunity to interact with several faculty members of the department. Prof. Shalini Gupta, Head of the Department, warmly welcomed the visiting group and introduced them to the faculty members. The interaction provided valuable insights into the academic and research activities of the department. The visiting team also had the opportunity to meet and interact with faculty members including Prof. (Dr.) Joginder Singh Dhiman, Prof. (Dr.) Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Prof. (Dr.) Khem Chand, Prof. (Dr.) Jyoti Prakash, Dr. Pushap Lata, Dr. Madhu Bala Dadhwal, and Ms. Mehak Mahajan. The discussions focused on academic programs, research activities, and potential areas of collaboration between the two institutions. During the visit, the students toured the Department of Mathematics, the Central Library, and the University Institute of Information Technology at Himachal Pradesh University. This experience offered them useful insights into the academic and research activities carried out at the university and helped them understand the various facilities and opportunities available for higher education and research. The tour included students from several programs of the School of Mathematics, such as FYUP B.Sc. Mathematics, Integrated B.Sc.–M.Sc. Mathematics, M.Sc. Mathematics, B.Tech. Mathematics and Computing, and Ph.D. The group was accompanied by Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Mathematics; Dr. Sandeep Sharma, Assistant Professor; Dr. Sunil Kumar Sharma, Assistant Professor; Mr. Kishori Lal, Junior Assistant; and Ms. Neelam Devi, Supervisor of Vaishnavi Hostel. The accompanying faculty and staff ensured that the visit was well organized and also helped facilitate academic discussions during the tour. Educational visits of this kind play an important role in broadening students’ academic perspectives. They provide exposure to different learning environments and encourage students to pursue advanced studies and research in mathematics and related fields. The students expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to visit Himachal Pradesh University and interact with its faculty and facilities, describing the tour as both informative and motivating. Dr. Rakesh Kumar, Head, School of Mathematics, expressed his sincere gratitude to the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar, for kindly permitting and sponsoring the academic tour. He acknowledged the continuous encouragement and support provided by the university administration in promoting academic exposure and collaborative interactions for the faculty and students of the School of Mathematics.
