New Dehi:Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Vice Chancellor Prof. Najma Akhtar has been nominated as a member of the re-constituted Jammu & Kashmir Higher Education Council (JKHEC). The JKHEC will be headed by Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Shri Manoj Sinha as its Chairman and Dr. Dinesh Singh, former Vice Chancellor, Delhi University as its Vice Chairman.
Terms and reference/functions of the JKHEC shall be to offer guidance and advice on formulation of policy for a comprehensive and holistic transformation of the Higher Education Sector in tune with NEP 2020. Provide advice on specific matters to the Government and to the Universities, research institutions and other centres of Higher Education in the UT for formulation and implementation of policies. Strategize and steer expansion of the Higher Education Institutions, Evolve new concepts and programs for creating an industry-ready workforce in consonance with the 21st Century needs and rapidly changing technologies.
A recipient of Padam Shri award, conferred by the President of India, Prof. Najma Akhtar is an Educational Administrator and Institution Builder. She earned National and International accolades, including Commonwealth Administrative Fellowship, and studied in prestigious International institutes such as University of Warwick and Nottingham, United Kingdom, and International Institute for Educational Planning, (IIEP) UNESCO, Paris. Under her participative and proactive leadership Jamia Millia Islamia, accredited with the coveted grade A++ by NACC, figures now among top three universities of India.
A recipient of National Award by Department of Adult Education, Ministry of Education, Prof. Akhtar served as Founder Director of State Institute of Educational Management and Training (SIEMAT), Allahabad, Professor and HoD at National University, of Educational Planning and Administration, (NUEPA), Delhi.
She spearheaded an international educational administrators’ course for senior officials from 130 countries. Director Academic programmes and Controller of Examinations and Admissions Aligarh Muslim University, she also served as Senior Programme Officer / Professor Distance Education Programme IGNOU.
She chaired International seminars in Universities of Ottawa and Montreal, Canada, organized 19 Training workshops in Nepal, under NIEPA–Nepal Project, UNESCO Workshop on Training Modules for Head Teachers in Hiroshima, Japan, Association of Commonwealth Universities Workshop at the University of Malaysia.
Worked as a Team Leader of various research projects like UNESCO Research Project, Project- Director of the Long term International Consultancy. Presented papers in UNESCO & ANTRIEP CHINA Seminar, Shanghai Institute of Human Resource Development, Shanghai and Colombo-Sri Lanka, Korean Educational Development Institute, Seoul-South Korea, University of Maryland, College Park (USA), University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA).
She delivered Keynote addresses in International and National Webinars/ Seminars on NEP, Mental Health, Disaster Management, Covid, Post-Covid Scenario, etc.
Published extensively, she is on various government and other committees such as High Level Expert Committee on NCC, MoD, National Steering Committee, MoE, Senate IIT Delhi, General Assembly ICCR, National Academic Advisory Committee Indian Social Science Academy, Allahabad, Empowered Committee Bihar State Madrasa Education Board, University Council Cluster University, Sri Nagar, Member Governing Council and Finance Committee AIU, Member Expert Committee to Develop a Template for self-disclosure by Private Universities, UGC, Board of Management, Jamia Hamdard, Managing Committee, DPS.
A Visitor’s Nominee on various selection committees and Executive Committees of Delhi University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, Assam University and JMI, she promoted internationalization of education by forging and strengthening academic collaborations with the universities in USA, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia.
