Awantipora, June 17 (Scoop News)-The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) convened a second meeting of its Research Advisory Council (RAC) under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakil A. Romshoo. The meeting attended by Dean Academic Affairs Prof Sheikh Aijaz Ahmad, deans, experts, controller of examination, finance officer, members of the research fraternity was coordinated by Dean Research Dr Aabid H Shalla.
The Council deliberated on a range of strategic issues aimed at strengthening the University's research ecosystem and enhancing its standing as a nationally and globally recognized research-intensive institution. Several important decisions were taken regarding the University's research ordinance, doctoral programmes, post-doc research, research quality, innovation, collaborations, enhancing research fellowships and mechanisms for promoting interdisciplinary and socially relevant research.
Presenting the University's research profile, Dr. Shalla highlighted IUST's significant achievements in research, innovation, and capacity building. He informed the Council that the University has secured more than ₹107.61 crore in extramural research funding and is currently implementing research projects worth ₹81.13 crore. During last one year, the University submitted research proposals amounting to approximately ₹358 crores, reflecting its expanding research footprint and growing confidence among national funding agencies.
Dr. Shalla further noted that IUST has developed a strong culture of innovation and intellectual property creation, with a portfolio of 113 patents, including 39 granted, 69 published, and 5 filed patents. These innovations span diverse areas such as healthcare, renewable energy, environmental engineering, smart systems, and assistive technologies, including low-cost ventilator prototypes, powered air-purifying respirators, solar-powered thermal storage systems, and other technologies with significant societal impact.
Highlighting the University's research productivity, he stated that IUST has produced 1,831 Scopus-indexed publications since 2019. Annual publications increased from 78 in 2019 to 384 in 2025, while total citations crossed 31,470, rising from 724 citations in 2019 to 10,067 citations in 2025, demonstrating the growing global visibility and impact of research conducted at the University.
The Vice Chancellor appreciated the progress achieved by the University in research and innovation and emphasized the need for sustained efforts towards high-quality, impactful, and collaborative research that addresses regional, national, and global challenges. He underscored the importance of strengthening industry-academia linkages, international collaborations, and interdisciplinary research initiatives to further enhance IUST's research profile.
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