The learning and teaching environment at the Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni is set for a major overhaul under Indian Council of Agricultural Research(ICAR)’s National Agricultural Higher Education Plan (NAHEP). The project is funded by the World Bank and under the NAHEP, the Nauni varsity has been awarded the prestigious Institutional Development Project (IDP).

The total outlay of the three-year project is Rs 25 crore with ICAR share of Rs 20 crore and Rs 5 crore funded by the state.

An official of Nauni varsity said this is one of the biggest projects in UHF’s history and a major achievement for the university.

It will help to provide a holistic learning and teaching environment to the students and faculty as scientists and students will be exposed to foreign universities to learn and exchange researchable ideas and issues.

“The main objective of the project ‘Quality Education in Horticulture and Forestry to generate Human Resource’ is to revamp the university’s UG education through innovative and modern pedagogy, skill development, improving placement opportunities and catalyzing entrepreneurship through global thinking and input. Under IDP, the university will look to strengthen collaborations with leading academia and industry for student exchange and faculty development programmes,” he added.

He said around 150 UG students and 50 faculty members will be selected through competition, to visit top-flight foreign universities for a period of 3-6 months.

Organization of webinars and seminars, workshops and capacity building, and engaging industry experts as adjunct faculty is also included in the project. In addition to the creation of several student amenities, the university will establish UG and language labs for improving soft skills, eight smart and two virtual classrooms.

The project will also push green initiatives like the use of solar energy for cooking, lighting, use of battery-operated vehicles, solid waste management and recycling, campus landscaping and development of nature parks, he said.

He further stated that one of the highlights will be the development of Short Term International Certificate course on temperate horticulture and forestry crops and the strengthening of Student Development and Career Development Cell.

“A review meeting of the core project team and the statutory officers under the chairmanship of the ViceChancellor Dr Parvinder Kaushal in which Director, Extension Education Dr PK Mahajan, Deans Dr Bhupinder Gupta and Dr ML Bhardwaj were also present,” he added.